


Ultraviolet

by beautiful_as_endless



Series: The Life and Times of Team Hijo de Puta [7]
Category: Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: F/M, and undead - Freeform, the manang is back, very back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-07-25 17:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 39,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7540741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautiful_as_endless/pseuds/beautiful_as_endless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They called him a hero, a role model, a patriot. All he wanted was to escape the suffocating expectations that his old name brought to him. What he found was family, adventure, and maybe another shot at that love that he had with that girl who used to be his First Lady.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Starlight

**Saturday, 04-02-16, 9:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

It was the laziest weekend so far, and Nonong was starting to regret the fact that he had a little over a month's worth of rest before launching back into his summer duties in the hospital. He wasn't really sure how much longer he could stay lounging around the house before it drove him mad.

He kept telling himself that at least, it was a weekend. He found himself hanging by the brick wall that separated the old orchard. The team had converted it into a sparring field and it was being put into good use by Jay, Rusca, Goyong and Jose Bernal. His cousin was busy running her three male students into some drills on knife fighting, looking like she wasn't ill at all.

They stopped as they noticed him watching and Jay grinned at him. "Gusto mo din ba ng lessons?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yan? Sasali? Eh kumuha nga lang ata ng tubig sa ref napapagod na yan eh!" A glint of mischief lit up Rusca's face as he regarded their spectator.

Nonong glared at him, crossing his arms and leaning against the entrance. "Hindi naman ako ganun katamad ah!"

"Couch potato lang, ano?" Goyong asked.

"Look who's talking, ikaw nga yung patatas ng bahay eh," Jose noted boredly, picking off flecks of dirt from his knee.

"Ulikbang patatas, as matter of fact." Jay dropped her makeshift knife and dusted her hands. "Papunta na siguro si Aurora, mamaya naman ulit."

A thrill of both annoyance and excitement fluttered in Nonong's gut. _Bakit ngayon pa?_ "Pupunta si Aurora dito? Aurora Aragon?"

"Oo, bakit? Bawal na ba?" Jay's catlike grin never left her face as she made her way out of the small field. "Play nice, ha?"

"I always play nice," he complained. His stomach fluttered amidst his friends' snickers. "Siya ang hindi."

"Utot mo." Jose ruffled his hair in an infuriating manner. "Nakita namin kung paano kayo magbangayan sa Baguio. Don't us, hijo."

He could still feel their amused gazes when he stalked right back to the house. _Aurora Aragon. Sisirain ba niya yung bakasyon ko?_

**Saturday, 04-02-16, 10:00 AM, **Brgy. Pulung Bulo****

Despite his insistence that he actually detested her, he found himself in the living room perched on his favorite beanbag. He was fiddling idly on his phone when Jay arrived with a somewhat frazzled Aurora in tow. He peered up from his spot, couldn't help himself when he gazed at her face. He saw her staring back with dislike that was mingling with somethig else that he hoped was actually the same _wistfulness_ that he had for her.

_May mga bagay na mahirap baguhin kahit na mabilis ang pagagos ang panahon._

He looked away, eyes flicking back to his phone and the game that he was trying to busy himself with. He wondered what it would be like to hack into her social media accounts, get a better idea of the new life she was living. He brushed the thought aside though. She would _never_ forgive him if he intruded upon her life.

He profusely ignored her even when she and Jay sat down on the couch behind him. He kept his mind and his eyes on his game. He was still hyperaware of her presence though, and he could feel her staring at him.

He tuned out their conversation, pretending that curiosity did not eat him up.

Joven marched down the stairs, arms laden with some papers for his cafe. He nodded to the two ladies before taking up space on the beanbag beside Nonong's with a huff.

"Kamusta naman yung summer vacation mo?" he asked after a few seconds of awkward silence.

Nonong shrugged nonchalantly. "Medyo boring."

Joven smiled and glanced at the women behind them before turning back to him. "Pinaka exciting na ba sayo yung pagdating ni Aurora?" he asked in a low voice.

Nonong rolled his eyes at that. _Ikaw din?_ "Eh, parang ganun na nga."

A knowing look crossed Joven's features as he leaned forward in a conspiring way. "May feelings ka ba para sakanya, aber?"

"Ano to, The Buzz?" Nonong scowled at his cousin and turned away. "Punyeta, paano ka magkakafeelings kung puro death threat yung nakukuha mo sa tao?"

That seemed to amuse Joven, which was infuriating. "Alam mo, damang dama naman naming lahat yung sexual tension niyong dalwa eh."

"Sexual - ano?" yelped Nonong. He covered his mouth when he realized that his words came out louder than they should and looked down. "Kuya naman eh!"

Joven smirked as he turned to his paperwork. "Just think about it."

"Ganyan naman kayo palagi eh." Nonong made a face as he stood up to get a drink.

"Sandali," Aurora called out from behind him. "Manuel, pwede ba tayong magusap?"

That elicited a wince from him. He turned to face her, hoping he didn't seem too stiff. There was no use offending her and make her dislike him even more.

"Anong kailangan mo?" he asked placidly.

She motioned outside, to the garden. "Dun tayo magusap."

He followed her outside to the searing summer sun, and sat on the bench under the shade of the old lanzones tree. It wasn't exactly a big deal, but it reminded him of the old days and their courtship. He stared at her, wondering if she could recall them too.

"Naaalala ko na," she noted boredly before he could even make some sort of innocent remark. "Pero hindi yun yung dapat nating pagusapan."

"Ibig sabihin ba eh walang sapakang mangyayari?" he asked cheekily.

Her lips lifted up in a smirk. "Wala muna sa ngayon. Pero may dapat tayong pagusapan."

"Ano yun?" He was proud that his voice did not shake. His hands had turned icy and sweaty though.

Aurora leaned forward. "May dirt ako kay Dolores Nable Jose."

"Dirt?" A feeling of foreboding gripped him, playing with quiet suspicions that began to form in his head. "Wag mong sabihing may kinalaman yan sa - sa pagkamatay mo noon."

She looked down, fiddling on her shirt button. "Hindi ako sigurado - medyo hazy eh. Pero malaki yung chance na tama ka."

Anger boiled in his gut like the rushing waves of a raging sea. Hearing about how Dolores was messing up the team's life was bad enough. Learning that she may have been behind Aurora's assassination was just way below the belt. He looked up, noticing her concerned gaze.

"May nalaman ka bang dapat itago sakanya?" he asked as calmly as he could.

She rubbed her forehead. "Hindi ko gaanong maalala," she admitted. "Pero alam kong nasa Baler yung sagot?"

Memories of waves crashing against the beach, of a family that he used to have, flooded Nonong's thoughts. He fought them back, struggled to keep his feet on the ground despite the grief that suddenly threatened to eat him up. _Hindi ka na si Manuel Quezon, boy_.

"Alam mo sigurong malayo layo sa Angeles yung Baler, ano?" he asked instead.

She nodded. She seemed to be hiding something from him - and he didn't mind it one bit. They all had secrets that they took to the grave. "Oo, alam ko. Pero sigurado akong may naiwan ako doon na importante - na kailangan niyo laban kay Dolores."

Her words left a trail of goosebumps down his arms. Despite his happiness that he wasn't born a Quezon anymore, it seemed like the past was still determined to run after him with a scream.

 _"Malaut ya ing Baler." Malayo ang Baler_. He kept his eyes on her, refusing to let her stare him down. "Kung may alam si Dolores, ibig sabihin aasahan niyang babalik ka doon."

She never tore her eyes away from his, either. "Alam ko yan. Pero what if kakailanganin natin yung kung ano man yung tinago ko doon?"

"Hindi ko naman sinabing wag kang pupunta," he shot back. "Pero pwede kitang samahan kung gusto mo."

"Hindi ko alam kung dumadamoves ka sa akin o seryoso ka," she noted.

He looked down, assessing himself. He remembered Baguio, remembered their recent encounters. He recalled their past lives, their marriage, their children. He still had memories of Goyong bleeding to near death on the pavement last December. He could also see his cousin writhing in pain after a fight with one of the dopplegangers.

It wasn't just about what they had and what they could have.

"Nakita ko yung kayang gawin ng mga sidekick ni Dolores," he told her. "Ayokong may masaktan ulit sila."

She didn't seem willing to believe his words, but he knew he meant it. She watched him with sharp eyes, as if assessing just how truthful he was. "Kilala kita."

"Kilala mo ako noon." His thoughts flickered to the way that Joven was now more outgoing, less brooding. "Hindi mo naman ako binigyan ng chance na magpakilala ng maayos ngayon."

That struck her. She fell silent, finally breaking their eye contact. "Maguusap ulit tayo," she told him curtly before heading into the house.

"Ano nanamang ginawa ko?" he called out to her.

He didn't get any response.

**Bonus**

**Saturday, 04-02-16, 7:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

It was the second of April. Jay couldn't believe that it had been four months since Goyong nearly lost his life, four months since the two of them became official, four months since the team's actual adventure started.

A lot of things happened during the past four months, both good and bad.

She didn't expect that they would end up facing more dopplegangers and a witch. She never expected to receive a curse that would end her life soon. She didn't think that they'd end up in more wild goose chases and perilous adventures. She never expected to be engaged exactly a hundred days after that fateful day.

She had been spending so much of her free time researching her condition, doing her best not to succumb to the panic and fear that threatened to overwhelm her. Not even her cousin's medical books could tell her anything that the doctors hadn't, though. Something was wrong with her heart and no one knew why, or what to do with it. Facing a foe with knowledge in both witchcraft and medical science irked her.

That was how Nena and Cat found her under the staircase that night - her nose buried deep in one of Nonong's books.

"Nagpapakalunod ka na ata talaga sa research mo, ano?" Nena asked with concern. "Ayos ka lang ba?"

"Hinahanap ko yung pangontra sa sumpa ni Dolores," Jay told her confidently. "Sigurado akong meron. _Ali ku pa mate. Marakal ya pang utang kaku." Hindi pa ako mamamatay. Marami pa siyang utang sakin._

"Paano kung wala? Or kung meron man, paano kung nawala na yung records nito?" asked Cat, peering at the stack of books around Jay.

"Hahanap ako ng paraan para hindi mamatay." A small, savage grin flickered across Jay's pale face. _Hindi ako takot. Hindi ako pwedeng mata_ kot. Dolores surely must have missed something. "Sinabi niyang titigil yung puso ko. Di naman niya sinabing di nila mapapagana ulit."

She was reassuring herself as much as her friends, but she knew that she had to muster as much confidence as she could. She might even find a way to fix the problem that she actually caused by bluffing through it.

"Hindi naman magandang diyan ka palagi tumatambay, hindi rin yan healthy," mused Nena.

Cat nodded and tugged at Jay's arm. "Tara, kain na tayo. Wag mong pagurin masyado yung sarili mo. Stressful din yung research na yan."


	2. Lunes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong gets into a fight. Vince makes a decision.

**Monday, 04-03-16, 10:00 AM, Tea-rad Pass**

Nonong found himself hanging around the cafe as he had nothing else to do. It was quite a busy day, though luckily no one came around to bug him when he took a spot by the bar itself. He was also surprised to learn that he was quickly falling in love with the lingering smell of coffee and chocolate.

"Hindi ka na ata mapakali sa bahay?" Vince asked with a grin when he joined them for his break. He had his laptop plugged to a wall socket, working on the database for the Bernals brothers' bookshop.

"Let's be real, kuya, nakakabagot sa bahay," Nonong shot back.

He would probably have turned mad if he spent a day alone in there. Even Paco at least had something to bother himself with as he was asked to handle some summer classes.

Goyong turned to them, a glint of panic in his eyes. "Punyeta, nawawala yung libro ko," he said quickly. He turned to Nonong grimly. "May nakita ka bang medyo lumang copy nung libro ni Kalaw?"

"Libro ni... ano?" Nonong asked, a small frown asked.

"Yung ano..." Goyong turned red. "Libro ni Teodoro Kalaw. Um, biography ko. Pinuno ko ng annotations yung copy ko dahil medyo nasugarcoat ata ni _Don Enriquez_ yung account niya."

"At bakit nandito sa cafe yung libro?" asked Nonong, confused.

Goyong's face turned even redder, which was quite amusing. "Pinapakisuyo kasi ni Manuel. Light reading daw kapag nababagot siya sa book shop. Nung Biyernes pa siya nawawala."

"Light reading. Napaka light naman nun," Vince noted, looking up from his work.

Nonong winced, recalling the multiple biographies that must have been written about him throughout the years. He wondered how awkward it would be to come across one of them.

**Monday, 04-03-16, 12:00 PM, Museo Ning Angeles**

Nonong readily agreed when Jay offered to take him along on a quick trip to the city museum during her lunch break. He kept stealing glances at his cousin, wondering if she really was as well as she insisted she was.

It was very warm that day, the full heat of the summer sun glaring down at them as they made the quick, five minute walk from the cafe to the museum. It was just a short walk but the searing outdoor temperature made it quite gruelling. He was sweating buckets by the time they reached their destination and he bombarded his cousin with complaints about the heat.

"Ayos lang yan," Jay said in between gasps for breath. A small, feline grin graced her pale features as she set off down a side corrider, past dioramas of ancient Kapampangan communities. "Healthy naman daw yung konting sunlight."

Nonong shut his mouth, struck with sudden shame. His cousin was ill but she didn't even say anything about the heat. He glanced at the exhibits from local painters instead, wondering if he'd find something interesting.

They eventually reached the offices at the back of the museum. Jay led the way into the archive office, where a boy maybe a year or two older than Nonong was sitting behind the desk, sorting out some papers. He looked up as they approached and smiled.

Nonong recognized him as Cat's former intern and current assistant, Bugallon. He was accompanying her during that Baguio trip to Andres and Oryang's wedding.

"Long time no see," the latter greeted them with a small grin. "Kamusta?"

"Same old, same old." Jay smiled as she took a seat across the desk from him.

Bugallon chuckled and set down the papers he was clutching. "So, anong kailangan niyo ngayon? Medyo tahimik yung buhay dito lately, medyo naiinip na ako."

Nonong leaned forward, curious as to what his cousin needed. "Bakit nga ba tayo nandito, Ate Jay?"

Jay turned to him, eyebrow raised, before facing Bugallon. She told him about her condition, the curse, and the dream with the doll and the needles. The boy listened intently, jotting down notes.

"Parang yung mga common misconceptions tungkol sa voodoo, ano?" Bugallon leaned forward with a frown. "Hindi naman daw talaga para sa harmful intent ang voodoo dolls, ang sabi nila. Pero alam niyo, legends and myths have some kind of basis on fact din naman - or pwedeng vice versa. What if ginagamit ni Dolores ito para ichannel yung harmful magic niya? Naprove na din naman natin na may mga ibang powers siya na wala sa mga surviving records natin sa local folklore."

_May dirt ako kay Dolores Nable Jose._

Goosebumps arose on Nonong's arms as he remembered Aurora's words. Did she know something about Dolores' powers and how to stop her curses?

"Anong kailangang gawin kung ganun? Nakawin yung manika?" Jay's eyes shone with excitement at the hint of potential trouble that she could get herself in.

"Most likely, oo." Bugallon rummaged for something in his drawer. "Hanapin at sunugin para mawala yung magic doon."

"Parang ang hirap naman niyan," commented Nonong.

_Pero sigurado akong may naiwan ako doon na importante - na kailangan niyo laban kay Dolores._

If Aurora found something that they could use against Dolores, then there's a great chance that it might give them something that might counter curses too. _Nasa Baler ang sagot, ano? Kailangan kong makabalik dun_.

Jay nodded thoughtfully. "Napaisip nga din ako kung may iba pa siyang sinumpa eh - kung hindi lang ako yung may ganitong problema. Kasi kung ganun, kailangan din natin silang tulungan diba?"

"May sumpa din si Kuya Goyong diba?" Nonong asked, remembering the boy general's wounds from his last battle with Bonifacio's doppleganger. "Ang bagal - as in sobrang bagal maghilom ng mga sugat na nakuha niya nung December."

"Parang mas generic kulam yun eh," noted Jay.

Nonong frowned, looking down. The faster Aurora got her hands on whatever she needed in Baler, the better it would be for all of them.

**Monday, 04-03-16, 1:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Nonong was now sure that his summer break boredom has reached sky high levels. After all, he agreed to accompany Manuel to the spot where Andrea del Pilar was abducted last week. He wasn't even sure why they were there, as they wouldn't be able to glean much, but he wasn't complaining. At least he had something to do.

"Kailangan lang natin ng pictures nung marka na ginagamit ni Dolores," admitted Manuel. "Maghahanap tayo ng references online, tignan natin kung may specific meaning ba ito na hindi lang natin napapansin."

Nonong nodded in understanding. They told him that the slowly fading markings on Jay's chest also came from an ancient script, so it was a possibility that the ones on the wall could be the same. He looked around, observing the nigh abandoned street and the desolate buildings around them.

Manuel was still busy taking pictures of the marking in all angles with narrowed eyes. He had just snapped up as much pictures as he could - and then the wall began to glow with a faint, hazy light.

Manuel yelped and took a handful of steps back while Nonong positioned himself beside him. The two of them were about to run off when Aguinaldo's doppleganger emerged from it, clutching a pair of black knives. It stopped as soon as it set foot on the abandoned street, clearly as startled as they were.

Nonong felt his skin crawling as he remembered the last time he was in the same place and the fight that they had with Goyong's doppleganger. He let out a hiss of breath, tensing his body for an incoming fight.

The doppleganger leapt at them, teeth bared, his black knives flashing as he pounced on Manuel. Nonong barely had any time to pull his friend out of harm's way, sending the two of them tumbling to the dusty, pockmarked road.

He and Manuel were both unarmed and wouldn't survive more than a few minutes against their attacker, especially with the doppleganger's strength and speed. They had to make it to the main road.

The two of them scrambled to their feet as the doppleganger launched another attack. Nonong stepped forward, knowing that his previous encounter with a doppleganger may at least help them buy some time. Ignoring Manuel's warnings, he threw himself at the doppleganger's feet, hoping that he could use the brunt of his weight to knock him off balance.

Sadly, the doppleganger was prepared. He grabbed Nonong by the throat and flung him against an old, dilapitated wall.

Nonong's head struck the concrete with a crack.

Dazed, the first thing he registered was a group of wooden poles that seem ready to topple over. The next thing was the fact that the doppleganger had turned his back on him and was about to attack Manuel. Thinking as fast as his disoriented mind could, Nonong made his way to the wooden poles, estimating the best angle he could get to avoid harming Manuel, and shoved the poles forward. They tumbled right down the doppleganger, pinning him underneath.

Nonong turned to Manuel, knowing that the doppleganger was strong enough to get itself out soon. "Tara na," he said, voice shaking.

Manuel nodded. "Mabuti pa nga."

They barely made it out of the street when a sudden pain struck Nonong's head - right where it made contact with the wall. He reached back to touch it and alarm set in when he realized that it was wet. His fingers were smeared blood. Panic flared up when his vision began to fade. He looked up at Manuel, opened his mouth to ask for help, and blacked out.

**Bonus**

**Monday, 04-03-16, 1:30 PM, Tea-rad Pass**

Having finished updating the bookshop database, Vince simply contented himself with watching Goyong work on customers' orders. He still found it amazing that the former restless general was now so content with the quiet life of a barista. Despite the tension and worry that Dolores' existence brought to them, Vince could see that his friend was at peace.

Well, that was generally speaking, at least.

That day, Goyong was frantically searching for his missing book. "Hindi pwedeng makita ng iba yun," he said distractedly as he scrambled around his workstation. "Nandito lang banda yun nung Biyernes eh, nakaligtaan ko lang ibigay kay Manuel."

Vince watched him worriedly, wondering what he could do to help Goyong. Seeing his new father figure so distressed didn't sit well with him - especially because the book's annotations could probably reveal Goyong's real identity to other people. "Wag kang magalala, 'Tay, hahanapin natin yan. Wala ka bang suspects?"

"Meron." Goyong's eyes darkened at that question. His eyes flicked around, then relaxed. "Pero mukhang wala siya dito."

Vince leaned forward curiously. "Sino yan?"

Goyong hesitated before answering. "Si Adela."

Vince couldn't help but let out a wince. Old affection and the slightest bit of anger mingled in his gut before he shoved it away, reminding himself that the past was in the past. Everyone was different now - even him. "Adela? What do you mean, 'Tay?"

Goyong told him about his encounter with Adela's reincarnation with a mix of amusement and mortification. He also admitted his fears that Adela and Jay might set of some kind of figurative explosion soon.

A quiet sort of determination settled in Vince's gut. "Wag kang magalala, hahanap tayo ng paraan para maconfirm kung nasakanya nga yung libro."

"Wag ka nang magabala, hindi mo naman kasalanan kung bakit nawala yung libro." Goyong smiled apologetically for some reason. "Ako nang bahala sakanya."

"Sabi mo eh." Vince looked away.

"Vince, alam kong may binabalak ka." Goyong grinned knowingly. The general knew - he always did. There were some things that not even the passage of time might be able to change. "Sabihin mo na kung ano yan."

"Wala naman, si Tatay talaga oh." Vince looked down, which he knew was a bad move. After all, that was what he always did whenever he was trying to hide something.

Goyong raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching in amusement. "Sabi mo eh."

"Promise ko yan." A small smile played on Vince's lips. Let Goyong wonder what he was planning. Both of them knew that he'd do his best for the boy general - even after all this time. If that meant butting heads with Adela for some important book, then so be it.

He'd help Goyong, he really would, despite his friend's hesitation. _Hindi ko nga kasalanan, pero kailangan ko paring bumawi sayo, 'Tay_. An image of the boy general's broken body, lying prone in Tirad, flashed through his mind's eye. He could see the blood on his pale throat and the look of pained surprise on his face. _Alam kong hindi ka naman talaga namatay pero... maliit na bagay lang ito._


	3. Bitiw

**Monday, 04-04-16, 3:30 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

Nonong's senses burned with a dull, suppressed ache when he finally regained consciousness again. He was lying on a hospital bed, his wounded head elevated by soft pillows. He felt sore and exhausted from their tussle with the doppleganger and he swore to himself that he'd be better prepared next time.

 _Alam kong sanay na ako sa mga ospital pero hindi ko naman inasahang dito ang bagsak ko ngayon_.

He looked around slowly, fighting off the haze of medicated numbness that filled his thoughts. He caught a glimpse of Manuel standing nearby, eyes intent on his phone - the older man must have been trying to contact the rest of the team. He looked away, eyes focusing on the television mounted across the room from his bed, though he was too dazed to actually process what the show flashing on its screen was all about.

The silence went on for a few minutes. It was quite a struggle between him and his painkillers, and he knew at the back of his mind that he would lose against it soon. He was too tired, too dazed to think clearly for more than a few seconds at most.

"Gising ka na pala," Manuel said after a few hazy minutes. "Kamusta yung pakiramdam mo?"

Nonong tried to nod, but his head felt too heavy and he was afraid that his wound might burst open if he did. "Gising na nga ako," he croaked out instead.

Manuel nodded, clearly pleased. "Nakausap ko na yung mga pinsan mo. Papunta na sila dito niyan eh."

Nonong smiled at that. "Sana naman wag nila akong upakan."

Manuel sat on the long couch near his bed. "Kamusta naman yung pakiramdam mo? Babalatin ata ako ng mga pinsan mo pagdating nial dito," he noted with a wry smile.

"Hindi naman siguro, Kuya." Nonong looked down, wondering if they wouldn't skin _him_ alive. "Hindi mo naman kasalanan eh."

The door flew open and the Hernando siblings stepped into the room with nigh identical worried looks on their faces. Jay stalked over to him, hands on her hips, an _absolutely_ terrifying look on his face. He adored her like a sister but she had a way of scaring him to bits whenever he did something wrong.

 _Pareho lang naman tayong reckless_.

"Pumunta kayo sa mga lugar kung saan umaaligid yung mga anino at unarmed kayo?" she growled.

He quailed at her gaze. He glanced at Manuel, who was having a quiet discussion with Joven. It seemed like he would be taking the brunt of his cousin's worried anger alone.

"Eh mabilis lang naman dapat kami dun," he explained with a wince. "Malay ba naming saktong dadating yung anino dun? Kumuha lang kami ng pictures ah."

Jay huffed, clearly not yet finished. "Kahit na - pwede ka namang maghiram ng kahit isang kutsilyo lang diba?"

Well, she did have a point. Nonong filed that suggestion away for another time, hoping that he would remember it. "Sorry na."

"Nangyari na eh. Wala na rin naman kaming magagawa, ano?" she told him with a wince.

Joven turned to them. "Sa tingin niyo ba sinadya niyang puntahan kayo doon?" he asked Nonong.

"Hindi." Nonong closed his eyes, recalling the startled look on his enemy's face when he saw them snooping around. He was sure that the dopplegangers were not capable of acting out so convincingly.

"Kanina pa ako nagaabang ng balita," Manuel added. "Baka may bagong kidnapping victim nanaman at di lang natin alam."

 _"Atin tamung magbante keng cabalenan." Meron tayong nagbabantay sa cabalenan_. Jay glanced at the window, fiddling with her jacket sleeve where one of her concealed knives glinted.

 _"Masanting nung makanyan." Maganda kung ganyan_. Manuel's voice was filled with approval.

"Sinong nagmamanman doon?" Nonong asked curiously. He hoped they had _better_ luck than him.

"Si Rusca at si Jose." Joven's lip twitched in amusement, as if he was trying his best not to burst into laughter. "Nagkaroon pa nga ng bunutan kanina kasi gustong sumama ng buong team."

**Monday, 04-04-16, 7:45 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

To his surprise, Aurora of all people visited him that night. Her eternally amused expression never faded, not even when she saw him sprawled helplessly on the hospital bed in his half dazed state. He supposed she doesn't have any obligation to feel any concern for him, after all. They were barely more than just acquaintances in this lifetime, if they could even be considered as such.

"Akala ko mas bugbog sarado ka pa kaysa diyan," she noted wryly as she made her way to his bed, shutting the door behind her. "Ikaw lang magisa?"

"Kumain muna yung mga pinsan ko," he admitted. "Di naman ako ginulpi. Um, nauntog lang ako."

A look of disbelief was etched on her face. "Nauntog ka at dumugo yung ulo mo. Right." She crossed her arms, amusement finally replaced with annoyance. "Yung totoo."

He told her about the doppleganger, relying on the fact that Jay actually brought her up to date on the recent supernatural events in the city to keep her safe. He hated sounding like a wimp, hated it even more as he was talking to someone who used to be his _wife_ in another lifetime.

It made his general feeling of uselessness increase tenfold.

It amazed him, the way that she didn't seem even the slightest bit scared or worried or anything but amused or annoyed. He didn't mind. He never really expected her to care about him. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't hold it against her if she despised him.

"In fairness, hindi parin kumukupas yang utak mo," she noted wryly. She peered at him curiously. "Ang docile mo ngayon ah. Puno ka ba ng painkillers?"

"Ganun na nga," he admitted. "Actually, nasugatan ako. May tahi nga niyan ako eh."

He regretted the fact that they had to shave off some of his hair to get the stitches done, but he supposed that it was better than bleeding to death from a simple head wound. At least everything else seemed to be in order, though he almost got a fractured skull.

She clucked her tongue at that and drew back, as if hesitating on something. "Ganun ba? Uh, at least ayos ka lang." She turned away, heading right for the door. Sinigurado ka lang kung ayos ka, kasi alam mo naman. Kailangan ko ng kasama sa Baler."

That perked him right up. "So ayos lang sayo na sumama ako?"

A small, catlike grin quirked up her lips as she nodded. "Kailangan ko ng intelligent bodyguard." She opened the door and winked at him before leaving.

She left him stunned and wondering what _exactly_ just happened.

He barely had any time to process those events though, as Rusca and Jose stepped into his room. Rusca appraised him quickly before his mouth quirked up into a relieved smile. "Akala namin napano ka na, bunso."

"Wag niyo naman akong tawaging ganyan," complained Nonong. "May nakuha ba kayong balita?"

"Ang tagal naming nagikot sa cabalenan," Jose admitted. He sat down on the long couch, arms crossed. "Hindi namin siya nakita."

"Sigurado akong nagabang na din kayo ng balita sa tv," Rusca added anxiously.

"Wala namang kakaiba," Nonong admitted.

They encountered a doppleganger and yet nothing seemed to be amiss in the city aside from the fight they got in. The thought unsettled him, as if they were simply standing in the eye of a storm. It felt they on the brink of something terrible that was simply waiting to happen.

"Bro, ang lalim ng iniisip mo ah," Rusca noted, bringing him back to the present. "Hindi namin nakita yung mismong anino pero iba kaming nakita dun."

"Anong ibig sabihin niyo?" Nonong asked.

"Tignan mo to." Jose leaned forward and handed him his phone.

Nonong stared at the picture that the duo took - that of Dolores Nable Jose. She was clad in that black and white dress that she preferred back when she was still masquerading as a nursing student. She was standing across the street from the Pamintuan Mansion, probably staring at the building itself. The angle itself wasn't that good as Jose took it from a running car.

"Nakita na nina Goyong ito," Jose added. "Susubukan naming makibalita kung may weird na nangyari doon - o kung may marka din nung magic niya doon."

Nonong closed his eyes, feeling hazy from his painkillers yet again. He hated the fact that he had shared the same class as Dolores. If he had known earlier, if he was just aware of just exactly what she was, he might have done something sooner.

He blatantly ignored the voice at the back of his head which whispered that it would have gotten him killed for his effort.

"Mukhang pagod ka na, bunso," announced Rusca. He glanced worriedly at the door. "Dadating na din naman sina Jay dito maya maya, ayos lang ba kung iwan ka na namin para magpahinga. Umeepekto na din ata yung painkillers mo."

Nonong nodded slowly, making the pain and dull ache mingle and explode in his head. "Hindi naman siguro ako biglang huhuntingin ni Dolores dito," he said, his voice alarmingly slurred.

"Shit, si Dolores. May point ka. Pero matulog ka na, bro. Kaming bahala dito," Jose said, giving his companion a pointed look.

Rusca nodded, showing them the dagger he was keeping tucked on his belt. "Magdadalawang isip yan na mambulabog. Armado kaming dalawa."

Nonong knew that Dolores did not fully fear the daggers, as she had her powers with her, but he was also knew that she was wary of something about these weapons. That was enough to reassure him. He finally succumb to the blissful blankness that the painkillers offered him and drifted off to sleep, the ache in his head left behind as an afterthought.

**Bonus**

**Monday, 04-04-16, 7:45 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

It was supposed to be a perfectly normal night, or so Etong deemed it to be. If only none of them got attacked by a doppleganger - and if only no one ended up with a very recent picture of Dolores Nable Jose. It was still a couple of hours away from his nightly phone calls to Clara, his girlfriend, and he had nothing to do until then.

The house was lacking four of its occupants - Nonong was with Rusca and Jose, while Joven was on the way to join them. It still felt comfortably crowded despite that though, which was a good thing. Etong would have been scared shitless by Dolores' looming threat if the house was a little more emptier.

"Oo, hahanap tayo ng paraan para maupakan si Dolores saka yung mga natitira niyang anino!" Jay's voice drew him out of his in the room, slamming a fist on her hand to emphasize her words.

She was sitting on her favorite beanbag, surrounded by the rest of the team. She reminded him of a dragon queen who was holding court, with the way that she had everyone's attention with her fiery words and obviously loved every bit of it.

"Anong gagawin mo, bubugaan mo ng apoy?" he hollered with a cheeky grin, following her as she made her way to the kitchen for a drink.

"Why not diba?" She matched his grin with her own as she set down her glass of ice cold water on the table.

He remembered Goyong wondering what her bra size was, as he was apparently going to get her new ones as a gift. He supposed he could do his old friend a favor and ask for him. "Uy, may pinapatanong pala yung bebelabs mo."

"Sino, si Nena?" She asked, leaning against the table languidly.

"Gago, kelan mo pa naging bebelabs yun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her grin widened into a mischievous one. "Ano ba, ginaya lang namin yung tawagan ng mga boyfriend namin! So sino yan, si Goyong?"

He nodded vigorously. "Wag kang magalit, pero gusto niyang malaman yung size ng bra mo." Before she could answer, he held out his hand and groped one of her breasts.

None of them moved for a few seconds in stunned silence.

"36D, not bad," was all he could say before she grabbed his arm and flipped him right across the table. His back slammed on its wooden edge before he landed on the floor with a huff.

"Gago ka, Etits," she growled, standing over him with arms crossed, all but glowing with rage.

"Ano? Nagconfirm lang ako," he said, absolutely confused. He just confirmed the bombshell girl's bra size for her pretty boy boyfriend. There wasn't anything wrong with that, was there? "Dragon ka palang magalit. I bet you fuck like a dragon."

"Gago." Jay turned around, her long, red hair fluttering like tongues of vivid flames like she did, walking away and leaving him to regain his breath and make sure that he didn't snap up his spine.

He loved Clara a lot, but he could definitely understand why Jay got Goyong so whipped.


	4. Who Needs Love?

**Tuesday, 04-05-16, 10:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

His head still hurt but at least he was finally out of the hospital. His night at the hospital was the most gruelling that he had ever spent, unable to channel his restlessness and anxiety into anything more than a long chat with Joven. Not even the small stressball that his cousin brought for him helped that much.

It didn't help that it was a weekday and he ended up home alone. At least Manuel drove him home from the hospital, but that was it. He was left alone with himself and his thoughts. Walking around to use all the unspent energy wasn't effective for him. He had to be doing something _worthwhile_.

Of course, things went out of whack the moment that he resigned himself to yet another idle summer's day. He heard the gate being opened and he scrambled to peer at it from the bay window in the living room. Aurora Aragon was walking across the garden, clutching her phone with a pensieve look on her face.

He opened the door for her, trying to be as much of a gentleman as he could. If they were heading for Baler together, there was nothing wrong with being nice and civil. The amused smile she gave him sent awkward jitters down his gut that he fought hard against. _Hindi na ako ang presidente, at hindi na ikaw ang First Lady ko_.

"Ikaw lang magisa, ano?" she noted as they shut the door behind them.

"Ako nga lang," he admitted. "Diba ganyan naman talaga kapag summer vacation? Nganga lang sa bahay yung mga batang walang social life habang nasa trabaho yung mga adults?"

"Siguro. Palagi naman akong nganga sa dorm ko." She shrugged and sat down at the edge of a chair. "High school pa ako huling nagkaroon ng kasama sa bahay."

"Anyare?" he asked idly as he headed for the kitchen, wondering if she'd like a glass of water.

She followed him, hovering over him as she typed something on her phone. "Matagal nang hiwalay yung mga magulang ko at nasa ibang bansa na si Mama - may bago nang asawa eh."

"Iniwan kang magisa dito?" he asked incredulously.

Aurora nodded indifferently as he set down a pitcher of water and a clean glass on the countertop. "Ganun talaga, kaya ko naman sarili ko. Balak naman niya akong kunin pero kailangan daw maggraduate muna ako. Saka nagpapadala naman siya ng pera kada buwan eh."

He felt a twinge of annoyance for her mother, whoever she was. Not even his cousins let him be alone after he lost his brother. "Kaya pala close kayo ni Ate Jay, ano?"

"Mas nanay pa siya sa totoong nanay ko kadalasan," admitted Aurora. She gave him a quick murmur of thanks as she took a swig of cold water before turning back to him. "Actually, si 'nay yung nagsabing ikaw lang magisa dito."

Anong masamang balak ni Ate Jay? Nonong watched her at the corner of her eye. "May kinalaman ba ito sa field trip natin sa Baler?"

She nodded slowly, refilling her glass and never taking her eyes her eyes off it. "May mga kailangan pa kasi akong isubmit sa school eh. Pwede ka ba sa twenty? Tapos na din yung viewing of grades doon."

"Hindi naman problema sa akin yun. Enrollment ko din naman kasi sa akinse eh." He really hoped that Dolores wouldn't send someone - or something - after them. It seemed a long way to Baler and he was sure that it wasn't just some overnight thing if they were to try jogging Aurora's memories regarding whatever she had against the witch.

She seemed pleased enough by that. "Salamat, ha?" she said begrudgingly.

He felt a flash of heat caress his face. He scowled as he realized that he was probably blushing. "Wala lang yun," he told her, wondering why he was at a loss for words.

She bared her teeth at him in a move reminiscent of his cousin, though. "Pero don't get me wrong, ha? Hindi parin kita hahayaang maging breezy sa akin. Laude bago lande, sabi nga ni Nanay."

He bit his tongue, refraining from telling her that Jay actually had a boyfriend back when she was in college. He was nasty, yes, but still counted as a boyfriend.

He looked up and met her gaze with a crooked smile. "Sabi mo eh." Well, he knew better than to hit on her. He still valued his life.

"Very good." She glanced at her phone and then the door. "O siya, pupunta pa ako sa school para magsubmit ng requirements. See you nalang."

He accompanied her until the nearby tricycle terminal which was just thirty paces away from the gate, right at the edge of McArthur Highway. He supposed that it wasn't a bad thing for his injured head. She seemed quite surprised, which was as good a reason as any other to do it. He stayed on the sidewalk, right under a mango tree, until the tricycle she was in had taken the highway and drove out of sight.

**Tuesday, 04-05-16, 6:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He was surprised to realize that it was drizzling. Having stayed under the mercifully air conditioned indoors all day, he hadn't really noticed just how bad the heat was until the loud thunder rumbled outside, signalling the start of a heavy downpour. At least being cooped up indoors alone wasn't a problem anymore as Paco and Vince were at home too.

"Sama ka nalang ulit samin bukas," Vince was saying with his usual small grin. "Kaysa naman yung inaamag ka na lang diyan sa inip."

That sounded like a good idea. "Pwede rin," he admitted, though he wouldn't have anything much to do in there either. Well, at least he would be with the company of other people, most of them his _friends_.

Vince nodded at that. He looked up from his laptop thoughtfully. "Nagsearch kami ng mga relevant na images doon sa pictures na kinuha niyo ni Kuya Manuel kahapon," he mused. "Wala kaming mahanap ni Kuya Etong eh."

Nonong drummed his fingers on the wooden center table, watching his former hacking mentor type away on his laptop. "What if hindi naman kasi talaga siya significant na symbol? What if marka lang talaga ng magic ni Dolores? Alam mo naman, baka naman sa kakahanap natin ng mga importanteng clues, pati yung mga bagay na wala palang ibang meaning eh hinahanapan na natin."

"Humuhugot ka ata! Nahawa ka na ba kay Julio?" Paco asked from his spot on the couch.

 _Humuhugot?_ Aurora's face flashed in his mind's eye, sporting that eternally amused look that always graced her face in this lifetime. The thought of it sent jitters in his stomach, and he was sure that it had nothing to do with their past life - not anymore. _Pati yung mga bagay na wala palang ibang meaning eh hinahanapan na natin_.

"Hindi naman, si kuya talaga," he blurted out idly.

His two companions exchanged knowing glances, and both of them seemed to be trying so hard to prevent themselves from grinning. Vince leaned forward with a smile. "Alam naman naming nandito si Aurora kanina."

Paco nodded sagely, though his eyes never left the grades that he was encoding. "Sinabi nga ni Jay sa amin kagabi na dadaan siya dito ngayon."

"Conspiracy ba to?" groaned Nonong. "Tungkol din kay Dolores to kung curious kayo."

Vince broke into a fit of laughter at that. "Dios mio patatas naman, Nonong! Bakit napakadefensive mo, ha?"

Nonong felt his cheeks turn red at those words. _Bakit nga ba ako defensive? Wala naman ata akong feelings para kay Aurora, diba_?

**Tuesday, 04-05-16, 7:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He found himself sitting smack dab in the middle of the living room as more and more of the team finally arrived home after dinnertime. Despite their crowded state, the rain outside and the air conditioning meant that it was still freezing cold. He decided to boot up his laptop, fingers drumming on its edge as it whirred to life.

He wasn't even sure why he pulled up his search engine and typed in _Aurora Aragon Quezon_ with trembling hands. He regretted not paying attention to years of Philippine History class. It would have saved him so much headaches in the past few months, at least.

He internally cursed himself for never really learning about her fate, not even when he started to remember the past last October. There were still some bits that he couldn't recall with perfect clarity but he deemed them unimportant. He berated himself for the fact that he didn't bother to understand what happened to everyone else _after_ he passed on, though.

 _Ang tanga tanga mo talaga, Keso. Ang tanga tanga mo_.

His gut felt like it was twisting itself in guilt and sorrow when he finally managed to read up on it. He should have asked someone knowledgeable instead, like Joven, but he didn't want them to know that he still cared beyond what was expected of him. He wasn't in love with Aurora Aragon in this lifetime - he kept telling himself not to let his old self spill out and try mess with his present self's head.

 _Manuel Quizon ka na, hindi Quezon_.

He wasn't sure how much time passed there. He read the same passages over and over again, rephrased, paraphrased, quoted, and everything else in between. He wept for a wife who was now a girl who probably despised him at the best of times, wept for a daughter whose young and promising life was cut short. He suddenly felt too old for someone who was just turning twenty in August.

He was lost in a sudden spiral of grief that consumed him whole. It kept him anchored on his seat, vision blurred by his tears. Still, he nearly leapt from him spot when someone's arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Hala, umiiyak si bunso. Inaway ka ba ng anak anakan ko?" Jay's warm voice crooned. "Masakit ba yung mga tahi mo?"

He shook his head, agressively wiping his tears. He forgot that he wasn't alone in more than one way. "Ayos lang kami ni Aurora at hindi masakit ang ulo ko." As a matter of fact, he barely felt it since that morning - or maybe he had just been too distracted to notice.

She tucked a wad of tissue paper into his hand, as if telling him to dry his face once his ready. "May naalala ka bang masakit?" she asked in a lower, curious voice.

He sniffed, internally slapping himself for acting like some small child. He wasn't someone who hid behind older people's backs now. He had to face the past and the future bravely, his head held high. "Ngayon ko palang sinubukang alamin kung ano talagang nangyari noon pagkatapos kong mamatay."

A flash of understanding crossed her face. It was something Nonong appreciated from his cousins most of the time - the way that they both seemed to know what was going on without too much words being said.

Jay smiled wryly as she rubbed his back soothingly. It achingly reminded him of his long dead mother. "Iniyakan ko din yung Tirad. Iniyakan ko yung mga bagay sa buhay ni Poleng na hindi ko parin maalala."

He felt all the unsaid words. She was there, and she knew what he was going through. Everyone at home did. He wasn't alone, and that was what mattered.

**Bonus**

**Tuesday, 04-05-16, 10:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Goyong fiddled with one of the pencils that someone left behind in the living room. He watched as Vince set up a new Instagram account on his phone for him. Since he was finally aging and could finally go with the flow of time without making things suspicious, he finally decided to take on social media accounts one at a time.

Vince seemed to have taken it upon himself to set everything up for him and teach him about it. He sounded so much like a child who was teaching his father about modern technology, to the boy general's amusement. There was also the unmistakable scheming look on the younger man's face.

"Madali lang naman pagaralan yung IG," he was saying patiently. A small, mischievous grin was playing on his lips though. "Ano, 'tay, magpost na din ba tayo ng picture?"

"Picture ni Jay," Goyong said quickly, mirroring his friend's smile. He leaned over to help look for something appropriate.

Vince made a face. "Wala naman sigurong nudes si Nanay dito ano?" he asked.

"Nudes?" It took Goyong a while to process what Vince meant. His cheeks burned red when he finally did and he had to cover his face in embarrassment. "Wala naman ah! Waal pa nga kaming ginagawang, um, _kamunduhan_ eh."

Vince snorted at that statement. "Dapat lang 'tay!"

Goyong stopped at a candid picture that he took of Jay on her birthday. It felt like ages ago when he proposed to her, just one hundred days after he got most of his mortality back. Her bright smile blinded him, even when he was simply gazing at it from his phone screen. "Ito nalang gamitin natin."

"Ang sappy mo talaga ano?" Vince noted as he began to post it online. "Ayan, done na ako."

Soft footsteps detached themselves from the typical ruckus that the rest of the team caused when most of them had retired upstairs. Jay padded down the wooden stairs, a thick scarf wrapped around her shoulders. She gave the two of them her warmest smile.

"Kamusta na si Nonong?" Goyong smiled back, relieved that she still seemed to be as healthy as she could be despite her curse. They had all been worried about their youngest friend's breakdown, and he totally understood why. The past was a painful, irreversible thing. Learning about the fallout after it was equally worse.

Jay looked down. "Tulog na siya. Sana makatulong yung pahinga."

"Hindi na mawawala yung mga bagay na naalala at nalaman niya pero... oo, nakakatulong nga." It was the reason why he disappeared from the face of the country for fifteen years, learning and working to ease off everything he felt. He rested his heart by keeping himself busy.

Vince stood up after handing Goyong's phone back. "Sige, 'nay, 'tay. Iwan ko na muna kayo para magmoment." There it was again, the scheming look on his face as he headed for the kitchen, onwards to the room he shared with Etong.

He was definitely up to something, and Goyong was going to end up involved in it somehow.


	5. Centuries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong tries to deflect his ghosts. The Pamintuan Mansion is set on fire.

**Wednesday, 04-06-16, 9:30 AM, Artikulo Uno Bookshop**

Nonong found himself in the Bernal brothers' bookshop, helping the working students in arranging the shelves. He was surprised that he actually prefered the shop's thoughtful quietness to the cozy cafe crowd that day. At least, it helped him settle his troubled thoughts.

He stumbled into the History section. Cold sweat ran down his spine as he saw a book detailing his life as a president, and another book on his family. He didn't tremble or shake as his eyes brushed past them, before settling on Joven's account of his life.

Despite being the original Joven Hernando's descendant, he had never taken the time to read any of his books. He supposed that he had to remedy that soon, though he was sure that he remembered every important detail of his life that Joven would have had anything to say about.

"Ang lalim ng iniisip ni bunso ah," Jose noted with amusement glinting in his eyes. "Kanina ka pa nakatayo diyan."

Nonong looked up, a startled look on his face. He hadn't even noticed that he got so lost in his thoughts. "Ah, nakita ko kasi yung mga, um, biographies ni President Quezon."

Jose at least seemed to understand. "Hindi rin ako gaanong bookish," he admitted with a laugh. "Bulakbol ako nung college, alam mo yun. Hindi rin ako masyadong nagbigay ng attention sa history class. Pero alam kong medyo harsh yung nangyari sainyo - at kay Aurora."

Nonong nodded with a small wince. "Hindi naman sa harsh pero kasi... yung mga ibang nangyari pagkatapos kong, uh, mamatay. Hindi pala ganoon kapleasant."

"Sabi nga nila," agreed Jose. He smiled and patted the boy's shoulder. "Pero alam mo namang reincarnated na tayo diba? Hindi na tayo yung past lives natin. Keep moving forward, 'ika nga nila."

Nonong nodded miserably. He supposed he was born with a slightly different name because he didn't want to be Manuel Quezon anymore. He didn't want to bear the legacy that his name would have brought him. The past hurt, but it was not his to bear anymore.

"Gusto ko lang malaman kung bakit kulang nalang pandirihan ako ni Aurora," he finally mused.

Jose leaned against a shelf thoughtfully. "What if nalaman niya yung pambababae mo noon?" he asked.

It shouldn't have mattered. They were different people now, like Jose said just a few minutes ago. He did flit from girl to girl, date after date in his present life but he never did treat any of them seriously. He barely knew anything beyond kissing a girl and holding her hand and making her giggle prettily. He didn't even know how to flatter them the way other boys did.

Well, he hadn't dated any girl after she popped right back into his life. That had to count for something, didn't it?

"Iba na tayo ngayon," he agreed. "Ibibintang parin ba sa atin yung mga kasalanan natin noon?"

"Good question," Jose noted with a small grimace. "Naaalala natin yung past lives natin pero oo, hindi na tayo yun."

He'd prove Aurora wrong, prove her that he wasn't the asshole that he was before.

**Wednesday, 04-06-16, 12:30 PM, Tea-rad Pass**

He found himself in the cafe next door for lunch. Joven saved him a seat in the staff room itself and handed him a lunchbox filled with Rusca's cooking. Rusca himself sat down beside him with a catlike grin.

"Bagot na bagot ka na talaga sa bakasyon mo, ano?" he noted.

Nonong nodded miserably. He heard a pair of female working students giggling at him and found himself looking away. It didn't please him the way that it used to.

"Buti na nga lang may duty na ulit kami sa susunod na buwan," he said, trying to distract himself. "Dalawang linggo sa pedia, dalawang linggo sa emergency room, tapos diretso enrollment na para sa full sem."

Rusca nodded in acknowledgement. "At least mas productive ka ano? Hala, kakaiba kang bata ka. Hindi ka masaya sa pagiging couch potato kapag summer ano?"

"Hindi nga ako mapakali pag ganun eh," Nonong said with a laugh. "Wala namang hacking job na magawa kaya mas oks na din na nasa duty nalang ako."

It was something he and Jay shared, he supposed - they were both restless spirits. His cousin just managed the restlessness better than he could ever do. Nonong would be absolutely agitated to the point of madness if he had nothing to do with so much spare time in his hands.

"Medyo kinakabahan ako," Goyong was saying on his corner of the table. "Ilang araw na din tayong walang balita tungkol kay Dolores, ano?"

"Wala nga," Joven said, lowering his voice too. "Hindi rin ako kampante sa nangyayari. Parang coincidence lang talaga yung nangyari noong Lunes."

"Coincidence nga ata," Jay mumbled, joining them with a small frown.  She patted her chest idly as she leaned forward. "Pero siguradong may binabalak sila kaya nandun yung anino. Wala pa nga lang tayong idea kung ano."

Those words chilled Nonong. The kidnappings have mercifully stopped - Dolores might have taken everything she needed from the two girls she killed, and the latter two that the team rescued seemed to merely be bait for Goyong. Sometimes it was still so difficult to believe that a sweet but airheaded nursing student was actually a crafty witch in disguise.

_Sabi nga naman nila, looks can be decieving._

**Wednesday, 04-06-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Nonong found himself joining most of the team for evening news. He rarely paid attention to it unless they were trying to unravel some mystery or another, but things were different that day. Their small meeting over lunch set him on edge, made him wonder if there was a way that they could use the fact that Dolores used to be his classmate to finally take down the witch. He deemed it wishful thinking, yet he couldn't help but _hope_.

"Parang palagi kang distracted nitong mga nakaraang araw," Joven noted. "May problema ka ba sa school? O kay Aurora?"

"Ayos na ayos lang naman ako sa studies ko, kuya." Nonong supposed that he was being honest enough. He was on his way to getting yet another Dean's List award and another semester of scholarship. School was perfectly fine for him. Aurora was another matter, he supposed.

"Eh si Aurora?" There was an _awful_ , knowing look in Joven's eyes. "Kamusta naman kayong dalawa? Sabi ng kapatid ko nandito siya kahapon."

 _Tangina, Ate Jay!_ Nonong felt his cheeks turning red at his cousin's words. "Nangangamusta lang yung tao eh."

"Nagtatanong lang," Joven told him. the knowing smile never leaving his face.

The music from the evening news blared from the television, commanding their utmost attention. Nonong mostly filtered the news away as insignificant. He didn't care about politics or showbiz, not when far darker things were happening in the city.

That was when the breaking news threw them off guard. A local correspondent was smack dab in the heart of Angeles, the Cabalenan, talking about a fire in the Pamintuan Mansion. A small crowd comprised of passers by and college students hovered behind the reporter.

The report simply discussed the fire that came out of nowhere, starting in the small garden by the entrance and was luckily quelled before it reached the building itself. The current investigations deemed it odd as they haven't seen residue of any material that might have started the flames - and that just the icing on the cake. The flames were a sickly green tinged with deep blue, blazing tall and pillarlike.

Nonong felt a chill in the room as an amateur video of the fire played on the screen. There was only one person who could have done it. "Si Dolores yan, ano?" he squeaked.

"Dapat malaman ni Goyong ito," Julian said from his perch by the piano. "Nasaan na ba siya?"

"Naliligo pa ata sa itaas," Paco said a little doubtfully. "Nasa taas din si Jay eh."

Everyone in the living room assumed amused looks at that remark. Nonong leapt to his feet, wondering if he should defend the two. He decided to do it in his own way. "Titignan ko kung tapos na siya. Importante naman ito eh."

"Basta ba wag mo silang, um, bulabugin," Julio told him, feigning grimness. "Hindi polite ang pambubulabog sa sexytimes."

"Gago," Nonong muttered as he hauled himself upstairs.

He headed into the room he shared with Paco, Goyong, and the twins. He wasn't really surprised to find it empty, though he could hear running water and faint singing from the adjoining bathroom. With a tired sigh, he pried the door open, reminding himself to tell Goyong to start locking it. After all, someone might walk in on the boy general - or actually _attack_ him all because he forgot to lock a door.

Goyong didn't even seem to hear him, as he continued singing his heart out in the shower.

Nonong stalked right toward the curtains that hid the built in bathtub and shower, drawing them back and coming face to face with a naked, startled Goyong. "Pukingina, hindi ka lang pala pretty boy. Body goals ka kahit tadtad ng mga tahi - jusmio stallion ka pa! Kaya pala di ka matiis ng mga ategirl mo ngayon, ano?"

Goyong merely gave him a blank stare.

Nonong sighed. "Ang tagal mo kasing maligo!" He rolled his eyes and pointed at the door. "May breaking news na nga at mukhang may kinalaman si Dolores at eto ka parin sa shower. Bilisan mo naman, kuya!" He stepped out of the bathroom, out of their room, and into the hallway, bumping into someone.

Jay went sprawling on the floor with a huff of breath. She leapt to her feet immediately, dusting her shirt. "Pasensya na," she quipped apologetically. "Di kita nakita."

"Di rin kita nakita," Nonong admitted. "Ayos ka lang ba, ate?"

He noted the faint, bluish tinge to her lips and the paleness that seemed to worsen every day. He wondered if part of it was his fault, if she would have been better off if they did a better job of fending off Goyong's doppleganger three weeks ago. It both worried and scared him. He really had to learn how to fight soon to make up for it.  _Pasensya na talaga, Ate Jay._

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 04-06-16, 6:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

It was a warm, stiffling night and yet Rusca didn't mind going for a walk - especially since he was with Nena. They just finished their dinner in a nearby restaurant and were headed on the street where they would be waiting for a jeepney to take Nena home.

They exchanged glances when they noticed a noticeable crowd outside of the Pamintuan Mansion. Though the historical building - which now served as a museum - had some visitors every now and then, the people outside its iron gates were unsual. It didn't help that it was well past the museum's closing time.

Rusca exchanged glances with Nena, who seemed as unsettled as him. "May nangyari ata doon," she said a little anxiously.

"Mukha nga. At masama yung kutob ko." He took her hand turned back to the crowd ahead of them.

The murmuring crowd - most of which were local students - were peering at something from beyond the wrought iron gates. A reporter and her television crew were standing by the cobblestone sidewalk, talking about a mysterious green pillar of fire and the mansion garden. Rusca tiptoed up, using his notable height for advantaged as he tried to take a peek beyond the reporter and her crew.

The mansion itself was relatively unharmed, just like the reporter was assuring her viewers. There was just a bit of black charring and some a portion of the gate seemed to have a slightly bent appearance, also from the heat. The garden was another thing, though. The grass radiating from the very middle have been burnt off, leaving only smoldering ashes and blackened dirt. The center itself was a dry, empty crater that was at least two or three inches deep.

"Holy shit, ano yan?" Rusca asked. He shuddered as he gazed at the ruin.

The gates could be repaired, the ashes wiped off the mansion, and the garden itself could be restored, but he was well aware that there was a far more sinister reason for this. _Dolores_. He wondered if she did it on purpose, or if she was actually trying to burn something _inside_ the mansion before the maintenance team were able to stop the fire.

"Naiisip mo ba yung naiisip ko?" Nena asked, a curious glint in her eyes as she tried to tiptoe and get a better view of the mansion.

"Oo ata." Rusca's hand tightened around hers in his sudden agitation. What was Dolores trying to hide form them? What was inside the Pamintuan Mansion? "Kailangang malaman ng team ito."

"Sasama ako," Nena said, eyes gleaming in reckless excitement that surprisingly reminded him of a certain _someone_ who kept turning down his courtship years and months ago. "Gusto ko ring malaman kung anong meron."

 


	6. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong gets into action <3

**Saturday, 04-09-16, 8:30 AM, Angeles City Proper**

Nonong stood in front of the Pamintuan Mansion beside Joven, looking at the padlocks sealing the still damaged gates shut and the men who were meticulously covering the crater and damaged ground with fresh, dark soil. Another group of men were painting over the slight charring of the mansion while a pair of workers were examining the gate.

"Sarado parin pala," Joven noted forlornly. "Sayang naman."

"True." Nonong put a hand on his hip, gazing at the workers for a moment. "Paano na tayo makakapagimbestiga kung anong tinatago ni Dolores diyan?"

"Good question." Joven cleared his throat and motioned for his cousin to follow him. They walked for a good few paces, going past the Sapang Balen bridge and the city library. "Alam mo, pwede naman tayong mag-ninja diyan diba? Punta tayo dito ng gabi, manghalughog ng mga documents o ano pa man yan."

"Pupunta dito ng gabi, akyat bahay style?" A small, mischievous grin filled Nonong's face at the promise of exciting trouble that his cousin's words brought.

Joven reflected his smile and glanced back the mansion, which was a few dozen paces away. "Exactly."

"Paano yung mga CCTV?" Nonong raised an eyebrow, surprised at his cousin's sudden interest in rule and law breaking. _Anong nangyari kay good boy Jovenito, Kuya?_

Joven's mischievous grin intensified. "Alam ko kung bakit ganyan kang makatingin sa akin," he said in blatant amusement. "Nakalimutan mo atang ako yung naghukay sa compound ng simbahan sa Manaoag at ako din yung pasimuno nung, um, naghalughog kami ng nawawalang journal ko sa simbahan ng Manaoag."

 _Scratch that - good boy with a bad boy streak ka pala_. Nonong kicked a stray pebble on the sidewalk with a small laugh. "May tinatago ka palang kalokoha, ano, Kuya?"

Joven snorted. "Oo naman."

A small gust of warm, summer wind began to whirl around them, brushing against their faces and ruffling their air. Nonong stopped walking, sensing something unnatural and malevolent around them. His eyes flicked around, searching, ignoring Joven's questions. His gaze stopped at the steps leading up the city library and he quickly elbowed his cousin.

Dolores Nable Jose was standing at the top, dressed in a loose red blouse that billowed with the wind. Her lips were raised in a cruel sneer, as she toyed with her long, dark curls. She turned away as soon as she was sure that they caught a good look at her and stepped into the library in a deliberate, flouncing manner.

"Hindi naman ako nagmalik mata, diba?" Nonong asked, his voice shaking.

"Hindi naman." Joven blinked rapidly and adjusted his glasses. "Nagdadalawang isip naman akong sundan siya - lalo na at sinadya ata niyang magpakita sa atin."

"Pero kung hindi tayo susunod..." Nonong began, his mind running faster than the words that could pour out of his lips.

Joven's eyes darkened as he leaned forward. "Alam ko - baka may saktan siya diyan o baka may balak din siyang sirain."

Nonong already had his phone out of his pocket. "Manmanan muna natin, ano? Kuha ako ng backup at ayokong pumasok diyan ng hindi armado."

**Saturday, 04-09-16, 9:30 AM, Angeles City Proper / City Library**

What struck him the most was the fact that _nothing_ interesting actually happened during the thirty minutes that he and his cousin lurked outside of the library. He was expecting something, _anything_ to happen due to the fact that Dolores was in there, and depsite his relief that nothing did, he was also quite disappointed.

Paco, Rusca and the del Pilar twins arrived shortly after he called the twins for help, all of them looking like they left the house in a hurry. Speaking of Paco, it seemed like he was the only one who didn't seem excited by the prospect of sneaking around and spying on Dolores. He peered up at the library with anxious eyes, shielding his eyes from the glare of the blazing sun.

"Paano kung trap yan?" he asked quietly.

"Sigurado kaming trap nga yan," Nonong pointed out grimly. "Kaya nga naghingi kami ng backup eh. Hindi naman namin siya pwedeng hayaang may gawing masama sa library, diba?"

"Exactly," Joven said grimly. "Mas ayos na ako sa risk kaysa naman hayaan nating may mangyari diyan. Kunsensya din natin yun."

Doing his best to look like a bored student, Nonong followed the others into the library. Due to the ongoing summer break, it was blissfully empty aside from a few people who were probably there to pass the time in an air conditioned place. There were a pair of women whispering to each other in one corner, murmuring something about a thesis.

They looked around, but there was no trace of Dolores anywhere. Nonong felt on edge, wondering when she would pounce on him. He glanced at the entrance, where the odd feeling of unease was the most pronounced, before turning back to his companions.

"What if nasa second floor pala siya?" he asked worriedly.

"Possible," said Rusca, glancing up at the ceiling as if he could see through it.

"Library office lang yung nasa itaas," Joven noted with a small frown. "Hindi ba nila siya mahahalata?"

"Nakalimutan niyo atang may magic powers siya." Julian said.

A series of loud explosions rocked the second storey of the library at that very moment, making the entire building rumble from its very foundation. Nonong slipped on the tiled floor as he tried to regain his bearings, falling flat by Joven's feet with a loud huff. Alarm and terror built up in him as shakily leapt to up. Motes of dust and small debris fell from the ceiling even as the trembling already stopped.

"Speak of the devil nga naman," growled Julio. He exchanged glances with his twin and they sprinted off to the stairs.

Dusting himself frantically, Nonong sprinted after them. He hauled himself up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He could hear loud shouts at the main hall, where people were finally picking themselves up and started to realize what just happened. Nonong ignored it all, his only focus on making sure that the twins didn't get themselves blasted to bits.

"Bakit bigla niyo nalang kaming iniwan? Paano kung nagaabang diyan si Dolores?" he said as he caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

Julian frowned, as if realizing that they hadn't thought of that. He stared at the dark corridor where the dust didn't settle yet. "Kailangan naming siguraduhin na walang nasaktan dito."

"Sana alam niyo yung ginagawa niyo," complained Nonong. He sighed and followed them farther in, wondering if they weren't walking straight into a trap.

There were a group of people huddled underneath the shattered glass panes of an office window. They stared, wide eyed, as the trio peered at them. Nonong felt a surge of protectiveness over these innocent employees who may have simply been doing their jobs until Dolores disrupted it.

Julio was already picking the lock. He kicked the door open and stared at the terrified employee, looking every bit like the general of the Katipunan that he used to be. "Hindi safe dito," he barked. "Labas na kayo, dali!"

The people stared at him blankly.

"Gusto niyo bang madamay kung may pagsabog ulit dito, ha?" Julio asked, a little agitated. He crossed his arms in an impatient gesture reminiscent of an agitated Goyong. "Hindi safe dito, wag na kayong pabebe. Baka may masaktan pa sainyo!"

That got them moving. The employees dashed out of the office and down the stairs.

None of the trio waited for them though as they moved to the next rooms, which were all empty. The library server was blown up to unrecognizable metallic bits that were still smoking, but nothing else seemed to have been harmed. Nonong led the way down the farthest end of the second storey, wondering what happened to the trio they left downstairs.

He coughed at the thick motes of dust that the explosion disturbed. The back area seemed less occupied, and huge blackened craters were blasted into the walls by the recent explosions. The door at the very end was blasted off its hinges, and Nonong could sense Dolores' malevolent aura in there.

There was a loud screech beyond the ruined door. Nonong froze in place, wondering if it was a good idea to proceed. Julian marched forward, fists clenched, a look of annoyance mingling with excitement on his face.

"Huy, wag, dangerous bitch yan," Julio warned.

"I live for danger, bro," Julian replied before stepping through the entrance.

Nonong exchanged horrified glances with Julio before they followed him into a room that was unbelievably dustier than the hallway they just left behind.

Dolores was standing in one corner, clutching a pair of old reference books, flinging them across the room, letting them slam against the wall. She screeched again, pulling out another pair of reference books before doing the same thing. There was already a slowly growing pile of battered books in there and it was a surprise that she hadn't turned anything to cinders yet.

She turned and shrieked at them and flung the next books at them. Nonong stepped aside with a huff. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?" he asked, praying that none of the dopplegangers were lurking around.

"Sinong kumuha ng mapa ng libingan?" she shrieked. "Saan niyo dinala ito?"

"Anong mapa?" he asked, alarmed.

Her eyes seemed to flash darkly as she stepped forward, hands flicking in a strange, spellcasting motion. She flung them forward in a pushing motion, and a sudden surge of strong winds suddenly assailed the trio, pushing them back. Nonong coughed as clouds of dust whirled around with the whirlwind that kept them in place. _Holy fucking shit_.

When the wind subsided, Dolores was gone.

Julian stepped farther into the room, looking around. "Sigurado akong may hinahanap siya dito," he growled, marching toward the cluster of crates that she had been standing over.

"Nawawala daw eh," Julian said. "Sa tingin niyo ano yun?"

"Libro siguro," Julio said, pointing at all the crates. "Ano pa bang mahahanap mo sa library, aber?"

They made their way back to the main floor, which was eerily empty. Most of the people on the library were already hovering outside, while the entrance was already cordoned off by the police. Andres Bonifacio caught sight of them as they headed out and motioned to a small space they could slip out of to avoid being noticed.

They rejoined Joven, Rusca, and Paco, who were pretending to be among the bystanders who were watching the police eagerly. Joven pulled them aside with a relieved look and told them that they helped evacuate most of the people in the library. Nonong told them in turn about Dolores and about her search for a certain map.

A frown crossed Joven's face - it seemed like he had some ideas that he wasn't very forthcoming with. "Madami ata tayong dapat pagusapan ngayong gabi, ano?"

"Mukha nga," Nonong said, a little baffled.  _Kanino libingan ang hinahanap ni Dolores, at bakit? Ang lakas ng kutob ko na kay Poleng ito._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, alam niyong mahal ko kayo, yes?


	7. House of Memories

**Saturday, 04-09-16, 7:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

They held a meeting over dinner to discuss that morning's events. Nonong's mind was still running with so much possibilities about Dolores and whatever it was that she was looking for in the depths of the library storeroom. As much as they could get from the employees they rescued, that place was full of old, old books that either haven't been sorted yet or were too old to be displayed to the general public.

"Ano sa tingin niyo yung hinahanap niya sa city lib?" Manuel asked with a small frown. "Sabi niyo, puro mga lumang libro lang yung nandoon sa storeroom, diba?"

"Oo, ganun na nga," said Nonong. He shook his head with a small snort. "Well, luma na din naman si Dolores, in a manner of speaking."

Jose leaned forward curiously. "Pero ano nga sa tingin niyo yung hinahanap niya dun? I mean, gumawa pa siya ng distraction at lahat lahat para makapaghalughog doon, diba? Sigurado akong importante yung hinahanap niya."

"Oo naman, sureball na yun." Rusca didn't seem too happy with that thought, though. No one was. "Baka magagamit natin yan laban sakanya. Pwede ring kailangan niya yun na panlaban sa atin." That wasn't a pleasant thought.

Nonong finally spoke up, hoping that none of them would laugh at his idea. "Malakas yung kutob ko na yung libingan ni Poleng yung hinahanap niya."

Joven sighed tiredly. "Alam mo, yan din yung naiisip ko eh. _Atsu la kasi kening Angeles deng tauling Hernando. Pota baka na atin tamung sasalikut." Nandito kasi sa Angeles yung mga huling Hernando. Baka akala niya meron tayong tinatago_.

Jay frowned at that. "Ano yun, hinahanap niya yung libingan dahil impakta siya na maalat na, bitter pa, ganun?" Sometimes, it was so hard to recall that she was Poleng's reincarnation.

"Mukhang ganoon na nga yung peg niya, brad," Rusca pointed out with a scowl.

Goyong clenched his fists, his face turning pale. "Hinahanap yung libingan ni Poleng? Paano niyo naman naisip yun?"

Nonong shrugged. "Random hunch lang," he admitted.

"Gusto niyo ba talagang malaman?" Joven asked quietly. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he surveyed them. "Napanaginipan ko si Dolores nung minsan. Tinatanong sa akin kung nasa city lib pa yung mapa nung libingan."

His words were followed by a moment of stunned silence.

"Panaginip?" Jay finally said, a hint of anger coloring her voice. "Napanaginipan mo si Dolores, Kuya? Anong sinabi mo sakanya? Kingina, pati ikaw binubulabog niya ah! "

Rage bubbled in Nonong's gut. That  _witch_ was disrupting the peace in the city all because she was looking for Poleng's grave? He didn't care if it was done out of envy and jealousy. It was downright  _petty._  "Sabi na nga ba eh! Yun yung hanap niya!"

"Bakit malakas yung kutob ko na hindi lang alat yung dahilan kung bakit hinahanap niya dun sa libingan?" Julio asked. "Alam kong sobrang petty yang salty bitch na yan pero what if may iba pang important reasons kung kaya hinahanap niya yun? What if may something dun na kailangan niya?"

"Ayan tayo eh, puro what if," Julian said, eliciting stares from the entire team. "Hoy, hindi ako humuhugot! Si Julio lang ang hugotero dito, mga gago. Ibig sabihin ko lang naman eh ang hirap ng walang masyadong proof. Hanggang, um, hypothesis lang tayo."

Joven nodded forlornly. "Totoo yan."

Jay slammed her fist on the table. "Alam na natin yung ibig sabihin niyan," she said, a fire glinting in her dark eyes. "Uunahan natin siyang hanapin yung libingan para malaman natin kung ano talagang meron dun."

**Sunday, 04-10-16, 2:00 AM, Pamintuan Mansion**

Nonong stood beside Joven, gazing up at the empty mansion which gave off a haunted feeling at that time of the night. Behind them, Etong was sitting at the edge of the sidewalk with his laptop, a mischievous grin on his face. They would be infiltrating the mansion that night to look around and figure out why Dolores was trying to destroy it.

"Ayan, napatay ko na yung mga CCTV sa loob," Etong said in a triumphant voice. "Pwede na kayong pumasok."

Joven patted his shoulder gratefully. "Salamat, bro."

Taking out a bolt cutter from his backpack, Nonong broke the padlock that acted as a flimsy barrier between the mansion and the outside world. The padlock fell to the ground with a muted thump. He gave his cousin a thumbs up and pried the gate open, making sure not to make even the slightest creak.

They tiptoed into the garden, leaving the gate open behind them. Etong was going to be acting as a lookout and would definitely be alerting them if ever that they were about to get caught. A burnt smell faintly lingered in the garden, especially as the cool night air was still and awfully calm. It unsettled Nonong but he bit his tongue and kept quiet.

They tiptoed through the garden and up the front steps. Nonong looked around anxiously as Joven picked the locks. He wondered if it was yet another trap cooked up by Dolores. He patted the dagger that Jose lent him - the dagger that destroyed Selong's doppleganger for good. He wasn't good in self defense - he barely knew anything aside from what his friends demonstrated every now and then - but he knew that they won't let themselves go down without putting up a good fight.

The door swung open with a soft creak, making Nonong cringe. He looked around, expecting the two of them to get caught at any moment, and couldn't relax even when they eased themselves into the entrance hall armed with flashlights. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as they passed by some glass cases that contained items dating from even before the city was founded. None of them seemed to be of particular interest though - just some trinkets and pieces of jewelry at the most.

He saw Joven peering at what looked like some kind of letter, murmuring something about a _Koronel Reyes_. "Kuya, mamaya na yan," he hissed. "May kailangan tayong hanapin, diba?"

They scoured the main part of the mansion for a good half hour. They couldn't find anything that could be of interest to Dolores, despite the fact that so much items of cultural and historical significance were laid out before them. It frustrated Nonong, made him wonder if they weren't simply being led into a wild goose chase.

That was, until they found a door which was clearly labeled as restricted. "It smells fishy," Joven said wryly.

Nonong nodded grimly. "Sobrang fishy nga."

He sent Etong a quick text message while Joven was fumbling with the lock, wondering if people were already getting suspicious outsie. He let out a pent up breath of relief when Etong confirmed that the coast was still clear, despite the fact that he was getting some odd looks from the scant number of people in the street. It seemed like they had to hurry up.

Joven finally managed to unlock and shove the door open. He yelped as he tumbled down the stairs that greeted him. Nonong shot down the stairs in a sprint, hoping that his cousin wasn't badly hurt. He almost slid down when he tripped on his own sneakers' laces but managed to get upright again before he also fell.

His cousin was already getting up when Nonong finally made it down. "Hindi ko inasahan na may hagdanan doon."

"Halata nga," Nonong pointed out wryly. "Ayos ka lang, Kuya?"

Joven dusted his pants in a dignified way. "Ayos lang ako, wag kang magalala." He ran his hands across the wall beside him, and flicked the light switch open.

They were standing in a short underground hallway that probably led into the main part of a basement. The area had a newer feel than the rest of the house, so it was probably added at a later time. Switching off their flashlights, they made their way to the empty, dark door at the end.

The next door was thankfully unlocked. Beyond it was a surprisingly clean and tidy archive room, its walls and floor covered in fresh white paint. Small shelves filled with record books lined the walls, all marked with dates. Nonong looked around, wondering if Dolores was trying to hide something in those books.

His eyes fell on a smaller shelf, which only contained a handful of books that seemed dustier than the rest, laid down side by side instead of being upright like the rest of the records. He moved toward them to get a better look. It felt like someone doused him in cold water when he realized that the books were positively ancient, despite the fact that they seemed well preserved. The pages seemed close to crumbling, and the words on the covers were in old, old Spanish that was more than outdated by the time of Nonong's past life.

His knees nearly gave out when he realized that one of them was dated _1571_.

"Holy fuck, tignan mo to," he blurted out, stunned by his discovery. The papers still seemed quite sturdy despite the apparent age, making him wonder if they weren't preserved by magic.

Joven's eyes widened. "Holy fuck indeed."

"Parang gusto kong gayahin si Lupin at iuwi yung mga ito," Nonong admitted with a wince. They were precious historical artifacts and he probably had no right to even touch them.

"Ako din," Joven mused. "Parang kailangan nga nating iuwi kasi baka ito yung balak sunugin ni Dolores."

Nonong nodded. He felt an odd sensation in his gut - as if he was freefalling - as he beheld the books. They spoke of an era long gone, an era that blurred the lines between oppression, progress, and tradition. They also spoke of an era that brought magic and mysticism to extinction.

Until now - they now knew that they treaded the same land as a witch, immortals, and reincarnated people. How much of it was magic? How much of it was religion? How much of it had much more mundane explanations?

**Bonus**

**Sunday, 04-10-16, 2:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

_Jay dreamed of a forest and the faint smell of flowers. She had no idea where she was, but she kept wandering farther in. She felt no pain and no cold despite the fact that she was feeling worse and worse with every passing day due to her curse. The night should have been dark, even darker because of the forest canopy that hung over her head, but an odd, silvery light illuminated her path._

_She found herself in a field of roses, buds of all colors imaginable blooming around her. She was struck by a quiet, nostalgic ache that seeped through her bones. She bowed her head and wept for something that she could not even understand._

_"Binibini," a soft voice said, carried gently by a sudden gust of wind._

_Jay looked up to see someone standing before her - someone who looked remarkably at her. Poleng was standing before her, dressed simply in a thin white sleeping gown._

_Standing face to face with her, Jay was struck by their differences. Poleng was tall and slender, lacking the ample breasts and hips that the shorter, voluptuous Jay was starting to appreciate about herself. Though they seemed to be of the same age, Poleng's thinner features made her appear older, especially as her dark brown hair fell in a straight sheet around her face and over her shoulders. Jay tugged at her long red waves self consciously, wondering just how much prettier Poleng was._

_Poleng smiled at her reassuringly. She placed a hand on her chest, as if introducing herself. Jay noted a beautiful golden ring on her finger, set with a set of colorful jewels crafted into the shape of a rose in bloom._

_"Ako si Poleng, at ikaw si Jay," the long dead woman was saying. They had the same rich contralto, though she spoke in a more feminine way. "Ngunit tayong dalawa si Julietta Paulina Hernando."_

_Jay was confused. She gazed at her past self, who seemed as real and as solid as she was. "May sinusubukan ka bang sabihin sa akin?"_

_Poleng moved her hand to touch Jay right over her chest, on the very spot over her heart that burned with consistent, burning pain during her waking hours._

_"Hindi maaaring mahanap ni Dolores ang aking libingan at ikaw lang ang makapipigil sakanya. Huwag mong hahayaang mapunta sakanya ang aking singsing." Poleng withdrew her hand from Jay's chest and brushed her hand against her face. "Pagpalain ka."_

_The dream faded in a rush of color and sounds and the lingering scent of roses._


	8. Zzzz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong goes through a filler chapter. Nonong and the del Pilars are in trouble.

**Sunday, 04-10-16, 3:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He was exhausted and dead on his feet by the time they were home. He didn't even care about the fact that they broke enough laws that night to probably be arrested if they got caught. Disabling the CCTV cameras would have been bad enough, but they trespassed into a museum owned by the local government itself in the dead of the night, broke through a restricted record room, and stole some absolutely valuable and old books, never mind the reasons for that.

Then again, times were changing and he was no president anymore.

Besides, he was too tired and sleepy to actually _care_. He was used to staying up all night but he supposed the stress and excitement brought about by the day's adventure burned up most of his remaining energy. Not that he cared, of course, the entire night had been a success.

Rusca and Jose were waiting for them downstairs, talking in hushed yet excited mutters. They looked up as the front door opened and Rusca held out his hands in teasing welcome. "Tignan niyo nga naman, nakauwi na yung mga ninja ng team!"

"Ninja mo mukha mo," Joven said, barely supressing a smile.

"So kamusta naman yung akyat bahay mission niyo dun?" Jose asked a little too innocently.

"Mahabang kwento," Nonong answered on his cousin's behalf. The books in his backpack seemed to feel much heavier all of a sudden. Tangina, pagod na nga ako.

Rusca raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. "Mukhang nga, pagod na pagod yung hitsura niyo oh."

Jose looked a little disappointed at their friend's comment. He glanced at the rest of them with a pout. "Ano, bukas nalang natin paguusapan, ganun?"

"Malamang, para gising yung iba," Etong said, finally marching in with his phone in one hand and clutching his laptop with the other. "Hindi naman pwedeng magmeeting kung tulog yung mga kasama sa meeting, diba?"

The two finally let them go and Nonong marched up the stairs tiredly. He slowly opened the door to his room and slipped in. Paco, Goyong, and the twins were sound asleep, and he didn't want to wake them. He stumbled to his own bed, careful not to bump into anyone's bed. He finally made it to his own bed and fell asleep without changing clothes, clutching his backpack close to him.

**Sunday, 04-10-16, 9:30 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

A tired ache still filled him by the time he woke up. His body was complaining, telling him to go back to sleep, and yet his mind was too worked up to rest some more. The books in his backpack were beckoning to him, asking him to let the rest of the team see them.

He still took his sweet time, shuffling like an old man as he went through a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes. Once he was done, he grabbed his backpack and marched down the stairs with it. The heavy books were now a comfortable weight in his arms, reminding him of the back breaking nursing books that he actually brought around with him when classes were in session.

Almost the rest of the team were downstairs, talking cheerily to Tatang Garcia, Cat's uncle, who was living in the apartment next door to give the young ones their space. They all looked up as he marched down to the living room. The smell of breakfast wafted from the kitchen, making his stomach grumble.

"Gutom na ata si bunso," Cat called out, leaping to her feet and meeting him at the foot of the stairs. She eyed his backpack curiously. "Kumain na lahat kami pero pinagtira ka naman namin ng almusal."

He followed her to the dining table, sitting down as she slid a plate of food right in front of him. She sat across the table and watched him curiously. "Balita ko may inuwi kayong something mula sa Pamintuan Mansion."

Nonong nodded, glancing back at the rest of the team. "Oo, meron nga," he muttered. "Buti nalang talaga at patay yung mga CCTV."

By the time he rejoined the rest of the team, he was feeling considerably better. The exhaustion was almost gone, at least. They actually reserved a spot on the long couch for him, to his amusement, and everyone was watching him with wide eyed curiosity when he set down his backpack on the center table.

"Nandyan ba yung mga librong sinasabi ni Joven?" Manuel asked, peering at the bag.

"Nandyan nga," agreed Nonong. He slowly, carefully took out the books, afraid that he might actually damage them.

Once again, a sense of wonder struck him as he beheld the books that dated back in the earliest days of colonization. They represented a turning point in the nation's history almost in the same way that he as a reincarnated president of the Commonwealth did. _Pero iba parin ito. 1571_.

"Holy shit, historical artifacts ito," Cat said breathlessly, reaching out and brushing one old cover lightly.

"Oo, iniwan lang nila ng basta basta doon," Joven noted with slight disappointment. "Sana man lang may nageffort na itranslate yung mga nakasulat. Sayang din kasi kung hahayaan nalang nilang agnasin ito doon."

Amazement was written clearly all over Vince's face. "Pero napreserve naman nila so far, ano? Ano sa tingin niyo yung ginawa nila?"

Goyong laid a hand on one of the books, closing his eyes. "Hindi natural yung ginawa nila diyan," he said quietly. "May nararamdaman akong kakaiba. Katulad nito yung kapag may nararamdaman ako tungkol sa mga kapangayrihan ni Dolores."

"So... sa tingin niyo siya yung nagpreserve sa mga ito? Eh bakit naman niya sinusubukang sunugin kung ganun?" Julio asked, baffled. "I mean, bakit pa siya mageeffort kung siya rin naman pala yung sisira sa huli?"

Nonong snorted. "Lahat talaga nahahanapan ng hugot, ano?"

Goyong's lips twitched. He withdrew his hand from the book and looked around. "Pero alam niyo, may punto siya. May hawig yung nararamdaman ko pero magkaiba ito. Kumbaga, hindi kulam yung ginamit dito. Hindi... _black magic_."

"May good magic din, ganun?" Joven was taking down notes as intently as a student in his favorite class. "Hindi na ako magtataka kung may ganyan din. _Balu tamu pin namang ating kulam, ali?" Alam naman nga naman natin na may kulam, diba?_

Jay tore her eyes away from the books as if struck by lightning. She glanced at Goyong, her face turning white. "Sinabi mo dati na may matandang babaeng nagbantay sayo nung nagising ka pagkatapos ng Tirad. What if may kinalaman siya dito?"

Goyong closed his eyes, as if reminiscing something. "Parang ganun nga," he murmured. "May kinalaman siya sa pagbalik ko, diba? Gaya ng pagbalik ni Ka Andres at ni Tito Selong. Hindi ko lang alam kung anong kinalaman niya kay Senyor Aguinaldo pero..."

"Baka meron siyang white magic na pangontra sa black magic ni Dolores, ano?" Nonong's mind was in overdrive, making him wonder about all the secrets contained in the books. "Pero medyo iba yung Spanish sa mga librong ito. May makakapagtranslate pa ba diyan?"

"Old Spanish nga," agreed Cat, smiling mischievously. "Pero nakalimutan niyo atang ako ang head ng archives sa Museo. Ako ang magiging BDO ng team para dito. _We find ways_."

"Pakiramdam ko mapapadali kasi ito kung tutulong si Tito Selong pero mukhang busy siya sa mga sariling agenda niya," Julian noted.

"Ayos lang yan. Sa tingin ko hinahayaan niya tayong gawin ito dahil natatakot siya na magiba yung nakikita niyang future kung makikialam siyang masyado," Goyong noted. He turned to Cat seriously. "Kung may nakikita kang kakaibang mga drawings o patterns o mga kakaibang mensahe diyan, ayos lang ba kung ilagay mo din sa mga gagawin mong translations?"

"Oo naman, ito talaga," Cat said, a hint of crazy excitement in her eyes. It reminded Nonong of her intern, Bugallon, and he way his face seemed to light up whenever someone gave him something challenging to research on.

Nonong smiled as he watched the entire team discussing the possibilities. If his brother still lived, he was sure that Gary would have been as amazed as he was by the way that they all seemed to work together so well. His gut twinged when he remembered his brother and the pictures they took of his murder. He felt his fists clench in white hot rage when he remembered that Bonifacio's doppleganger did it. Long suppressed sorrow, cold and torrential like the rain, followed right after he remembered that the doppleganger murdered people for Dolores' whims. He promised back then that he wouldn't weep, that he would be a child no more. but it was so tempting.

He'll do his best, give everything he could for the fight against Dolores. It would never bring his brother back, but would at least mean that they could enact justice upon the true person behind his death. _Pinapangako ko yan, Kuya_.

**Bonus**

 

**Sunday, 04-10-16, 7:30 PM, Brgy. Lourdes Sur**

Etong really was lucky that he had Goyong and the del Pilar twins to accompany him that night. He was off to pick up the new parts he bought for his custom made PC and wasn't sure how he would be able to haul it all the way home.

It would have been a pretty good day, if it weren't for the fact that they barely made it two blocks away from the shop when Julian's car stalled. The four passengers hopped out of the car to peer at the engine, though Goyong seemed a little blank when Etong started spouting some technical words that he learned from Clara. That was when the two dopplegangers emerged from the other end of the otherwise empty street.

Etong's throat constricted - he left his gun behind at home, though he knew that bullets won't work on their inhuman foes.

"Fuck," Julio growled, fumbling for something in his pocket. "Hindi technical difficulties yung problema ng sasakyan ano? Supernatural shit ata."

"Supernatural indeed," Julian said, a hint of fear creeping up his voice.

Goyong's special dagger was out, its blue handle glinting even in the faint illumination from the street lights. He hovered protectively in front of his friends. "Anong kailangan niyo sa amin?" he asked.

"Nasaan ang huling talaarawan ni Totillo Mamucud?" Goyong's doppleganger asked with a throaty growl.

"Totillo?" A look of pain flashed on Goyong's face. He kept his composure though, his slouch straightening into a general's stance. "Malay ko."

"Huwag kayong magsinungaling! May kumuha ng talaarawan niya mula sa opisina ng kanyang apo sa tuhod," the doppleganger insisted.

"Hindi man nga namin alam na meron siyang ganun," Goyong said defiantly, stepping forward to put considerable distance between their foes and the others. "At kung hawak man namin yun, hinding hindi namin ito ibibigay sa inyo."

Etong slowly inched himself toward Julian and elbowed him gently. "Bro, pag napatrouble tayo dito, takbo ka agad sa sasakyan. Subukan mong sindihan."

Julian nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly.

As quick as lightning, Aguinaldo's doppleganger - who was awfully quiet until that moment - lunged forward in a blur of movement, grabbed Goyong by the neck and flung him to the hood of the car. He and his companion turned and melted back into the shadows while Etong and the others ran for Goyong, passing by his broken phone which fell out of his pocket.

The boy general had rolled off from the hood and to the rough road. He was clutching his chest, blood seeping through his white shirt and his red hoodie. "Pukinginang pakshet naman yan," he growled in pain.

Etong glanced at the twins. "Shit, papatayin tayo ni Jay," was all he could say. _Ayoko pong maging target practice ng mga kutsilyo niya._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Refresh refresh lang kung di niyo maalala na may kuya si Nonong, please check Misguided Ghosts 20&21 hihi


	9. Girls and Boys in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is in love and someone is in trouble.

**Monday, 04-11-16, 9:00 AM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

It really was a good thing that he was supposed to be accompanying the Bernals to the hospital anyway, as Goyong had been hauled in there last night after an encounter with the two remaining dopplegangers. He didn't have to make his way to the area alone.

He stood in front of Room 526, trembling all over. Every sick and dying child reminded him of a past life that he was struggling so much to distance himself from. Luz. Luz. Luz. He could see a long dead daughter in all of them, and it killed him almost as much as their illnesses did to them.

The parents greeted him somberly as he stepped in, murmuring their thanks. He could only bow his head and nodded. They let him approached the bed where the seven year old girl was lying, face pale and dry. She looked up as he approached and smiled despite the pain that she was obviously in.

"Hi," he said, voice wobbling as he took one of her frail hands. "Kamusta ka?"

"Kuya, natatakot ako," she whispered in a small voice, gripping him like a lifeline. "Hindi ko na kaya."

"Masyado na bang masakit?" he asked. His heart felt like it was breaking to a million little pieces when she nodded. "Wag kang matakot bumitaw kung kailangan na, para wala ka nang maramdamang masakit."

His eyes watered as Mariel smiled angelically. "Mamimiss kita, Kuya Nonong."

"Mamimiss din kita, hija." His voice broke as Mariel murmured her farewells to her parents.

He couldn't tear his gaze away as her eyes closed and her breathing slowed to a stop.

That was when he started crying. He was a nurse, was supposed to be used to to seeing pain and death. Yet, there he was, grieving for a lost patient.

He didn't even care about the loud giggling coming from a gaggle of girls who were headed for the corridor. All he could think of was Mariel's peaceful face and small, precious Luz. _Masyado pa silang bata_.

He excused himself, left the family to their grief. He shouldn't be intruding upon them, after all. He barely made it to the corridor outside before he sat down and wept.

"Nonong?" a surprisingly soft voice broke through the haze of sorrow.

He looked up to see Aurora hovering over him with a tentative look on her face. He didn't even care about the fact that she was staring at his tear streaked face and puffy eyes. "Hi," he croaked, his voice cracking.

A pair of girls were standing behind her, giggling, and she shooed them away. They gave the two of them an amused look before flouncing away to another corridor.

Aurora stared at him, the hesitation melting into actual concern. She sat down beside him on the bench. "Ayos ka lang ba? Bakit umiiyak ka?"

He told her about the dead girl, mumbled something about all of the ill children reminding him of Luz. "Nakikita ko yung mukha ni Luz kapag may nakikita akong bata dito sa pedia ward."

"Sino si Luz?" she asked, clearly confused.

Nonong stared. Hindi mo pa ba naaalala yung lahat? "Si Luz..." He was at a loss for words, not sure how to tell her about that child they once lost.

The sounds of weeping from the door beside them did it for him. A look of horror crossed Aurora's face, which turned pale. Her wide eyes watered as she stared at him. "Si Luz, indeed," she told him before bursting into tears.

He mentally chided himself for never learning how to comfort a girl. He patted her shoulder awkwardly and handed her his damp handkerchief to wipe her face with. "I need a freaking drink, gusto mong sumama?"

**Monday, 04-11-16, 10:00 AM, Diamond Subdivision**

_Umagang umaga, nakikipaginuman na ako_.

He was on his second bottle of beer, she on her third. His mind was already cloudy from the alcohol in his bloodstream, warning him that he wasn't as used to drinking as his new friend. He didn't care though, understood the temptation to drown one's sorrows through getting wasted.

Words spilled from Aurora's lips, unbidden, as she finished her bottle and switched to a fourth one. She told him of her parents' separation when she was nine, of her mother leaving to the United States with her new husband when she was about to step into college. She admitted that her mother entrusted her to the Hernandos - and yet she refused to move in with Jay and Joven, not willing to impose upon their hospitality.

It amazed him though, the way that she was so independent to a fault. He listened patiently as she talked about Jay's kindness and her being more of a mother than her real, actual parent. He listened in awe as she mentioned the two degrees she was currently taking - architecture and civil engineering.

So, what have I been doing with my life, ano?

It didn't matter. He wasn't in it for ambition, or money. He wasn't in it to look good. He wasn't in it for the challenge. He was taking up a nursing course so he could fulfill his dream of being a doctor and help people.

"So laude bago lande ka, ano?" he asked, feigning as much innocence as he could in his drunk state.

"Nagkaroon ako ng isang boyfriend pero masyado siyang needy," she confessed with nary a giggle. "Naghiwalay kami nung February - bago niyo ako sinama sa Baguio."

"Ah, Bagiuo." He had no right to be jealous. After all, they've broken up already and he had nothing with her, anyway.

"Let's be real, mas matino ka ding kausap sakanya - kahit na masyado kang breezy pag minsan," she said with a small laugh.

He looked down, taking his first few sips of his third drink. "Ganyan naman sila palagi. Hanggang sa exterior at pretenses lang yung nakikita - hindi yung totoong taong kausap nila."

He slumped forward as the alcohol completely took over his system. He was well aware of her piercing look but he was too dizzy to do anything else - despite the fact that he still felt some sort of clarity amidst the haze his drinking spree left him with.

**Monday, 04-11-16, 1:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He wasn't sure at what point he actually blacked out, but the next thing he knew, he was actually back home, lying on the couch. His head pounded from the vivid summer sunlight filtering in through the nearby windows and from the faint sounds emanating from the television itself.

Etong was sitting on a nearby beanbag, arms crossed. "Nasobrahan ka daw ng inom," he said with amusement.

"Eh, ganun na nga." Nonong closed his eyes, his head still swimming in the languid disorientation that the alcohol left him with. At least it numbed the grief that the morning left him with, left it as a distant throb at the back of his mind.

"Dapat hinay hinay kasi sa paginom, hindi yung bibiglain mo." Etong chuckled and stood up, dusting his shirt with a grin. "Pasalamat ka maaga akong umuwi para umpisahan yung project ko."

Nonong supposed he was lucky, then. He sat up, ignoring the spinning sensation that he spiralled into. "Si Aurora?"

"Nagpaalam na, kanikanina lang. May kailangan atang kausapin para sa schedule niya sa school." Etong switched the television off, his smile widening. "So, umabot na ba kayo sa first base?"

"First... base?" Nonong's brain moved sluggishly, taking its sweet time to process what his friend just said. Redness tinged his cheeks when he realized just was being implied. "Hindi naman ganun yung reason kung bakit kami naginuman!"

Etong laughed. "Gago, alam ko namang patay na patay ka dun."

"Pakyu din, Matanglawin," Nonong growled. He tried to stand up and pitched forward as wave of dizziness struck him. He fell on the wood panel floor, face first. "Nananadya ka eh!"

Etong looked genuinely confused at his words. "Teka, di ba attracted ka naman talaga kay Aurora Aragon?"

"Hindi, um, friends lang kami." Nonong leapt to his feet, unsteady. _Friends nga ba? Parang acquaintances lang nga ata eh_.

Etong smirked. He glanced at the kitchen and the side hallway that led to the bedroom he shared with his brother. "Denial king ka pala, ano? May mga bagay na kahit paano mong takbuhan, hahabulin at hahabulin ka parin. There's no escape, bro. Bumigay ka nalang sa kawalan."

Nonong watched his friend walk away, dumbfounded. He sat down on his favorite spot on the couch and leaned back. He closed his eyes, trying to sort out his thoughts. Separating Manuel Quezon's feelings to the Aurora of old from Manuel Quizon's feelings to the new Aurora was as easy as picking up a pebble from a glass of water. What truly terrified him was the fact that despite the different circumstances that brought them together, the feelings that the two men had were quite the same.

 _Tangina this_.

**Bonus**

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 1:00 AM, Pamintuan Mansion**

Vince wasn't sure how he was supposed to unstick himself from the backseat of Julian's car when they finally parked a small distance away from the Pamintuan mansion. He wasn't sure how they even managed to drive a few meters without crashing or causing a dozen accidents. Julio seemed unfazed so it must have been simply a matter of getting used to it.

The three of them headed for the mansion, which gave Vince a sense of unease. He closed his eyes, remembering Joven's quiet words mentioning that his last letter to Adela Reyes before his untimely death in the past life was on display in there. He had to see it for himself, see some kind of connection to his past life.

Past is past na, pero curious talaga ako.

Vince took out his fully charged laptop and sat on the sidewalk near the entrance, working on its magic to disable the CCTV cameras in the area like Etong taught him to. He looked up as a faint click thrummed from the software he was working on. "Sinong maiiwan dito para maging lookout?"

"Ako na," Julio offered, sitting beside him on the sidewalk with a curious glint in his eyes. "So babantayan ko lang kung may mga taong suspicious na sa ginagawa natin, o kung biglang may gawing weird yung laptop mo, tama?"

He and Julian made their way into the mansion, following the directions that Joven provided them with. He found the glass case in question, the hair on the back of his neck prickling as he approached. He leaned forward, peering at the crumbling old paper and fading ink, the message still fresh in his head.

He told her that he still loved her despite the fact that she left him hanging, poured out all the bitterness and anger and affection he still had in him to feel.

He wasn't trying to retrieve the letter - he was just there to see it. He glanced up at Julian grimly. "Nakita ko na yung dapat kong makita, Kuya," he murmured.

Julian stared at him, concern in his eyes. "Sigurado ka diyan, bro?"

That was when they heard the loud crash. It seemed to be coming from somewhere underneath the ground floor, probably in the record room that Nonong mentioned.

The two men exchanged glances and surged forward in a well-practiced move that they once employed in warfare. They made their way to the record room, the door to the staircase alarmingly unlocked. Vince took out the knife he borrowed from Rusca while Julian whipped out Jose's knife. They crept through the hallway as quiet as cats - but needn't have bothered.

The door to the record room was blasted open, leaving it as nothing but strips of wood. Aguinaldo's doppleganger was standing in front of it, a look of bestial rage in his face. His eyes were terrifyingly red, glaring at them in surprise.

"Kinuha niyo ang mga aklat," he growled accusingly, fists clenched as he dashed right at them with inhuman speed. "Naaamoy ko ang bakas niyo sa kabilang kwarto!"

The doppleganger barreled into them like a whirlwind, flinging Julian to the wall with a painful crack and sending Vince slamming at the foot of the stairs. Before they knew it, the doppleganger's hands were wrapped around Vince's throat.

"Binibigyan namin kayo ng tatlong araw upang isuko o sunugin ang mga aklat na itinago dito," the doppleganger growled. "Kung hindi, humanda kayo sa isang delubyo."

His hands tightened around Vince's neck, making everything go black.


	10. Oo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong is safe for now. Vince meets someone from the past.

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 1:45 AM, Pamintuan Mansion**

The cool night air brushed against Nonong's face as he followed Manuel and Paco out of the house. They were the only three who were still awake at that hour, waiting for Vince and the twins to come back. Paco had just received a call from Julio a few minutes ago, asking for some help to actually go home. It seemed like someone also needed to get to the hospital but no one was forthcoming with the details.

Worry gnawed at Nonong's gut when he sat at the back seat of Manuel's Revo while Paco rode shotgun. He wondered what _exactly_ happened in the Pamintuan Mansion. He had a vague feeling that one of the dopplegangers reared his ugly head.

The drive to the mansion was a brief one - Angeles City at nighttime was devoid of the daily traffic jams that was the bane of the citizens' humdrum routines. Julian's car was visible, parked right across the street from the mansion's balcony. Manuel stalled his Revo right beside it while Nonong and Paco hopped out.

They dashed around the corner to the entrance, where Julio was crouched beside a laptop, clutching his broken eyeglasses close to him. He looked up, squinting, as they approached. Nonong never realized until then just how _terrible_ his eyesight was.

"Kuya, ayos ka lang ba?" Nonong asked.

Julio nodded, though he seemed dazed. "Ayos lang kami ni Vince - hindi kami sigurado kay Julian."

They were directed into the mansion proper and to the record room that Nonong infiltrated with Joven. Vince was crouching at the foot of the stairs, right beside an unconscious Julian, who was lying face down on the floor. He looked up as they approached, a darkening bruise visible on his neck - as if someone tried to strangle him.

"Hindi siya nagigising," he said in breathless panic.

Paco looked around uneasily, one hand touching a fresh crack on the wall. "Anino ba yung nakaaway niyo?"

Vince nodded, distressed. He quickly told them a story of their encounter with Aguinaldo's doppleganger, the way it slammed Julian into the wall and made Vince black out momentarily after uttering a warning of sorts. By the time Vince had regained consciousness, the doppleganger had fled after a brief scuffle with Julio.

Nonong knelt beside Julian, fingers deftly looking for an injury. He could feel everyone watching him intently, as if expecting him to come up with some kind of quick diagnosis. _Sorry, mga bro. That's not how it works_.

Julian let out a faint groan, his fingers twitching as he slowly stirred into consciousness. "Shit. _Balamu mebalbal ku buntuk." Parang nabasag yung ulo ko_.

"Kuya, buti nalang ayos ka lang!" Vince let out a nervous laugh. "Akala ko napano ka na."

Nonong stepped back, giving him some space to orient himself. "Kaya mo bang subukang umupo?"

Julian attempted to do as he was told, but remained slumped. "Hindi, masakit eh."

"Nahihilo ka, o masakit ang ulo mo?" Paco asked, sounding every bit like the colonel that he used to be.

"Masakit lang," groaned Julian.

Nonong nodded thoughtfully. "That's it. To the hospital with you na, kuya."

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 10:30 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He woke up late thanks to last night's adventures.

It took him a while to contemplate everything that happened the previous day - from the dying child to his drinking spree to the mishap in the Pamintuan Mansion. He would have stayed in bed a bit more longer if it wasn't for the fact that Cat bust into his room.

"Buti nalang gising ka na," she said with a smile. "Gusto mo bang sumama sa amin sa mall? May naka-file kasi akong leave ngayon kaya dadalhin muna namin sina Jay at Tina sa Clark. Babawasan namin yung stress nila sa mga boyfriend nila."

"Parang understatement ata yung stress, Yung isa nabuksan yung tahi. Yung isa may hairline fracture sa ulo. Yup, understatement yung stress." He closed his eyes, torn between staying at home to sleep some more and getting up. "Sino bang kasama?"

Cat beamed. "Ako, si Jay at si Tina, sasama din daw sina Marge at Angela. Alam ko pinapasama din ni Etong yung girlfriend niya - Clara nga ba? - kasi nababagot na daw sa shop eh. Ah, si Rusca naka leave din para samahan kami ngayon. Hiniram niya yung Revo ni Kuya Manuel para may sasakyan tayo."

Memories of a dead child and a grieving family flashed through Nonong's thoughts yet again, and he knew that no amount of alcohol would make him forget. He needed a _distraction_. "I'm in."

As fast as lightning, he threw on the closest clothes he could grab - a plain green shirt and a pair of old, ratty jeans. His thoughts strayed to Aurora as he slipped on his belt, making him wonder how she was. Etong's words echoed in his head. _Alam ko namang patay na patay ka dun. Di ba attracted ka naman talaga kay Aurora Aragon?_

He sat down on his bed, running his fingers through his hair. Now that Etong mentioned it, he couldn't stop thinking about her anymore. _Kingina, wala na talagang hustisya sa mundo_.

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 11:00 AM, SM Clark**

The mall courtyard was a breath of fresh air after the crowded Revo. He fell in step with Rusca as they marched into the mall behind the women. The sun was blazing in full heat that day, and the cool air conditioning was truly the best thing that happened to him so far. As tempting as it was too veer off, it would be better for them to stick together and avoid an attack by the dopplegangers or even Dolores herself.

"Kuya Ed, Nonong, sigurado kayong ayos lang kayo diyan? Di niyo naman kailangang bumuntot sa amin," Jay said tentatively. "Sasamahan lang naman naming magpakulay ng buhok si Ate Cat."

"Magpapaayos lahat tayo ng buhok - treatment at retouch," Cat insisted with a sweet smile. "Madalang lang naman."

They barely made it to the second floor when a tall, fair man grabbed Jay, who was at the very head of the group, and pinned her down to the tiled floor. "Nahuli ka din namin! Wag kang gagalaw!"

"Punyeta, anong pinagsasasabi mo?" Jay asked, sounding mortified and the slightest bit angry. Don't wake the dragon, kuya.

Everyone froze, registering the man's police uniform. Tina's fingers twitched, as if about to reach behind her back for her concealed eskrima swords. "Mali ata yung hinuhuli mo."

"Wag kayong madaldal, walang gagalaw," the policeman spat, glaring at them as he took out his gun and pointed it at Jay's head, making the latter turn white with _old fear_. "Alam niyo ba gaano namin katagal hinahanap itong magnanakaw na ito?"

"Magnanakaw?" Angela asked, confused. "Hindi naman po magnanakaw si Ate Jay."

"Manahimik ka!" The policeman's eyes bulged as he turned to them.

 _Siraulo ata ito_. Nonong stayed still, keeping a hand on Rusca's shirt to prevent him from leaping into action.

"Manolo!" someone called out, marching up the mall stairs. It was Andres, looking a little frazzled as he approached his fellow policeman. "Anong ginagawa mo?"

"Nanlalaban itong magnanakaw na ito," the other policeman called Manolo growled, grabbing a fistful of Jay's hair and shoving her face on the floor.

Andres pulled him away forcefully. "Hindi naman yan yung magnanakaw! Saka sumosobra ka na," he said, knocking the gun off his companion's hand.

Nonong helped his cousin sit up. "Ayos ka lang ba, ate?"

Jay was wheezing - the encounter probably triggered her heart. She nodded slowly though, leveling a terrifying glare at Manolo. "Tanginang power tripper yan. Pasalamat ka masama yung pakiramdam ko kung hindi..."

Andres approached them apologetically. "Pasensya na, masyado atang excited yung partner ko sa hinahawakan naming kaso."

"Parang understatement pa yung term na excited," Clara noted wryly, crossing her arms. "Nasaktan na nga yung tao eh."

Margarita shook her head. "Kuya Andoy, ano pong meron?"

Andres shooed his companion away and showed them a grainy picture of a girl who was wanted for stealing in different mall shops throughout the city. Aside from sharing the same long, distinctive red hair though, she looked nothing like Jay at all. She was young for one matter - probably seventeen or eighteen at the most, tall and slender in contrast to short, voluptuous Jay.

"Wow ha, ang layo ng itsura namin!" Jay growled, her pretty face burning in anger. "Nasaan yang Manolo na yan? Bibigwasan ko siya!"

"Hoy, puso mo," Rusca warned. He was mirroring her rage though, and it struck Nonong again by how similar they are.

Andres excused himself, apologizing for the bother once again and promising that Manolo will not bother them again. For some reason, Nonong had a feeling that Manolo will actually bother them again in the near future.

**Bonus**

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 11:00 AM, Tea-rad Pass**

Vince sipped his extra sweet caramel frappe slowly as he watched Joven man the bar. The cafe's owner was slowly, meticulously wiping his workstation with a thoughtful look on his face. It was quite different from Goyong's hyperactive routine and warm, friendly smile, but Vince supposed that both styles worked.

The cafe doors chimed as a new customer stepped in - an awfully familiar, pretty woman in a long dress and a thick, white headband. _Adela. Adela Reyes_. She strode purposefully toward the counter and ordered a drink, shooting curious looks toward Vince and Joven.

He shifted in his place when she sat right beside him, setting down her dark chocolate frappe on the bar with a soft thud. He exchanged glances with Joven, who was thankfully as baffled as he was.

She cleared her throat and leaned forward. "Hi, I'm Addie Reyes." She looked the way she did on that Instagram account that Vince managed to pull up using Goyong's account.

"Vince Enriquez," he mumbled.

"Joven Hernando, proprietor." Joven turned to her curiously.

Addie smiled tightly as her eyes swept over the cafe. "Wala ata yung isa niyong barista?"

Vince looked down, remembering Goyong's agitated state when he was looking for his missing book. "Nasa ospital si Tatay. Naaksidente." Well, that was the closest excuse they can make up.

"Ganun ba?" Doubt crept upt Addie's voice. "May ibabalik sana kasi ako sakanya."

"Ibabalik?" Vince raised an eyebrow. Mukhang tama nga yung suspicions ni Tatay.

She nodded, then paused. "Mas maganda siguro kong hintayin ko nalang siyang bumalik dito." She stared at his neck, and at the dark bruises left by the doppleganger's attempted strangling. "Napano yan?"

"Same accident," he mumbled, wondering if she could see through it. Then again, there was no need for him to tell her anything. New life, new circumstances.

She leaned toward Joven with a worried glint in her eyes. "Kuya, pwede ba akong humingi ng konting yelo?"

Amusement glinted in Joven's eyes as he wrapped a few cubes of ice in a clean rag and handed it to Addie. She smiled and thanked him before turning back to Vince, placing the cool, damp rag against his bruises.

"Hindi mo naman kailangang magabala," he argued, feeling his cheeks turn red.

She didn't speak, merely pored her attention on his bruise. It went on for a few minutes - until she glanced at her watch and blinked. "Ah, oras na pala. Kailangan ko nang umalis, may appointment pa pala ako sa salon." She set down the rag on the bar and stood up, her dress rippling with her movement.

Alarmed and confused, Vince watched her walk out of the cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


	11. Akap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory GoyLeng filler chapter before shit gets real.

**Tuesday, 04-12-16, 12:00 PM, SM Clark**

The sound of hushed murmurs and the faint smell of chemicals failed to soothe Jay. One of the stylists had just left her after applying new dye to her hair, and she couldn't sit still. After all, she was dragged into the salon to do something that she's been doing at home for years. She supposed it was fine every once in and while, especially since she was doing it with her friends.

She still seethed, though. The encounter with that policeman, Manolo, was beyond embarrassing. She hated being framed up for something that she had absolutely nothing to do with, and she had to admit that having a gun pointed to her face left her shaken.

She couldn't remember exactly why, but she could see flickers. She recalled someone doing the same as she lay helpless and screaming. It wasn't a pleasant memory and couldn't find a context for it, but it still triggered a hitherto unknown fear within her. It also left her chest throbbing and aching.

 _Tangina, makita lang talaga ulit kita, bibigwasan ko yang mukha mo_.

"Jay," Rusca called out, making his way to her. He held out an unopened bottle of ice cold water with a grin. "Gusto mo? Dios mio, papatayin kami ni bebelabs pag pinabayaan ka namin - lalo na pag nalaman niya yung nangyari kanina."

She accepted the bottle with a quick word of thanks and sighed. "Basta wag niyang papatayin si Manolo. Ako yung babalat ng buhay dun, humanda siya."

"Ang fierce talaga ng batang ito," Cat commented from the chair to her left. "Hinay hinay lang, nasabihan ka nang ang sobrang stress at galit, diba?"

Jay shrugged. "Foul parin siya eh."

"Hindi naman talaga tama yung ginawa niya ah," Rusca added. He crossed his arms and leaned against an empty chair. "Huy, kung ako yun baka nabigwasan ko na din siya!"

Cat laughed at that. "Jusko, magkaugali talaga kayong dalawa, ano?"

"Sorry naman," Jay said, echoing her laugh.

Rusca reached out, as if to ruffle her hair, then remembered that she was currently having it dyed. "Kaya nga honorary kapatid ko ito."

Jay excused herself for a bit to get up and stretched, pleased that they were at least allowed to walk around while waiting for the dyeing and treatment to complete. She couldn't really sit still for much longer without losing her mind especially as worry for Goyong, who was still in the hospital, started to mingle with her anger for Manolo and the fear brought up by that gun. She knew that she prefered talking to people about her feelings than holding it all in, but she really needed to _do something_ at that point to vent it out instead.

That was when she saw that girl from the cafe - Adela Reyes.

Irrational, white hot anger lanced through her as she remembered the uncomfortable look on Goyong's face when she saw him with her. Her chest thudded painfully, as if in warning, but she ignored it and marched over to the girl in question, fists clenched. A flash of recognition lit up Adela's face as she caught Jay's gaze. _Good_.

"Adela Reyes, tama?" Jay asked, barely controlling the annoyance in her voice.

"Addie nalang." The girl tilted her chin up proudly, reminding Jay yet again of the girls who bullied her all throughout her high school years and in the early day of college. "May kailangan ka ba sa akin?"

"Jay Hernando nga pala." Jay stood as tall and as straight as she could. She will not show fear anymore. "Sigurado akong naaalala mo ako. Kausap mo yung boyfriend ko nung isang araw."

"Si Goyong," Addie said, narrowing her eyes. Suspicion filled her pretty features. "May tinatago kayo."

Jay neither acknowledged nor denied the statement. "Alam mo, hindi kumportable yung boyfriend ko dun sa kung anumang napagusapan niyo."

"Kailangan ko ng sagot," Addie told her obstinately. She crossed her arms and glared. "Ayaw niyang ibigay sa akin ito. If I need answers, I expect them to be given when I ask."

Jay closed her eyes to steady herself as the ache in her chest began to slowly increase with her annoyance. _Bawal daw sa puso ang stress pero kingina naman kasi_! Goyong had always been kind to her despite her shortcomings and she wanted to pay him back by looking out for him, too. "Inisip mo ba yung approach mo, ha?" she asked. "Hindi naman lahat ng tao napipilit ng pagiging makulit at abrasive."

If looks could kill, Addie probably would have accomplished something that Dolores wasn't able to. As it was, it seemed like she barely holding back the urge to deck Jay - not that the latter wouldn't be able to reply in kind.

"Marami nang problema si Goyong," Jay said, the steel in her voice mixing with a plea. "Mga buhay yung nakasalalay dito. Kung may kailangan ka sakanya, maybe you should try asking nicely imbes na dumagdag ka sa stress niya."

A stabbing pain hit her at that point, restricting her breath. She turned to leave and go back to her seat, unwilling to show weakness to her. It was how the bullying in her childhood started, after all.

" _Salamat_ ," Addie suddenly said with a huff. "Salamat at hindi mo dinamay si Vicente."

"Tiwala akong kayang alagaan ni Vince ang sarili niya," Jay replied stiffly. "Si Goyong ang inaalala ko - kaya niyang alagaan ang mga tao sa paligid niya, pero hindi ang sarili niya."

She walked away and plopped herself back on her seat, ignoring her friends' stares.

**Wednesday, 04-13-16, 12:00 PM, Tea-rad Pass**

It really was good to be back in the cafe. Goyong felt restless after two days in the hospital due to blood loss and he forced himself back to work after it despite the Hernandos' protest. Joven let his sister accompany him in the bar instead to keep an eye out in case that he really wasn't fit to go back to work yet.

It wasn't exactly a bad thing, though he did find Jay's presence awfully distracting that day. It was just the darker shade of red that she dyed her hair with, he was sure of that. It definitely didn't have anything to do with the alarmingly tight shirt that Cat forced her into, or the way it emphasized her breasts and her curves. Nope, it was far from that.

"Tay, kanina ka pa nakatulala diyan," Vince was saying. "Ano bang iniisip mo?"

"Yung boob - este, yung buhok ni Jay." It was a slow day and the stream of customers have trickled to a stop for now, giving him all the time in the world to ogle. He really was trying so hard to convince himself that he was simply _mesmerized_ by the darker, prettier shade of red that her hair had taken.  _Hindi ako uhaw. Hindi healthy para kay Jay ang uhaw_.

"Eh baka malusaw na si Nanay sa kakatingin mo," argued Vince.

He merely grunted in acknowledgement, watching as Jay leaned forward to talk to a customer with a smile on her face. He definitely wasn't being turned on by the way that her chest was pressed against the wooden surface on the bar. He was _absolutely_ focused on her long, wavy hair and the way it rippled like fire.

He barely registered the sound of the windchimes on the cafe entrance or a girl's familiar voice. Jay glanced back with a blazing smile as he caught her gaze and she winked at him before turning back to her conversation. It felt like his brains were dribbling out of his ears at that sight and he had to swallow hard to keep his feet on the ground.

A hand slammed loudly on the table. "Heneral!" a loud voice finally broke through his hazy thoughts. "Ano bang tinititgnan mo diyan?"

He looked around, blinking dazedly. He registered Adela Reyes standing in front of him imperiously, Vince's arms restraining her from going any farther. He blinked once, twice, thrice, confused.

"Tay, maawa ka naman kasi kay Nanay, baka malusaw na siya," Vince said with a laugh as he stepped away from Adela, cheeks burning red.

Goyong turned red too and turned to Adela. "May kailangan ka ba, Miss?"

"Hindi siya Miss," Vince interjected. "Siya si Addie."

"Addie." The modern nickname rolled of Goyong's tongue in greeting. He stared at her, wondering if she would start pressing him for answers again or admit that she actually stole his book. "May kailangan ka ba?"

Addie waved a familiar book in front him. It was the Kalaw book that he lost. "Gusto ko sanang ibalik ito."

A trail of cold ran down his spine as he took it from her, his hands shaking as one of his old sticky notes peeked out from a page. "Paano napunta sayo ito?"

"Nandun sa sulok ng bar nung minsan." Addie shrugged, as if she had the absolute perfect right to take people's property if they were lying around. "Ibabalik ko naman pagkatapos kong napa-photocopy eh."

"Hindi parin excuse yun para basta nalang kunin yung gamit ng tao," Goyong said, trying to keep the agitation out of his voice. He could sense Jay watching and was sure that she would leap into action and get herself in trouble if he sounded distressed. "Alam mo, kung gusto ko lang ng gulo pwede kitang makasuhan dahil diyan."

Addie clenched her fists, as if stopping herself from making a biting remark. "Theft, ano?" she said tiredly. "Alam ko, pulis yung kuya ko. Hindi mo na kailangang ipagdiinan yan. Sorry na."

Goyong wasn't sure just how much she meant it but he let it slide for now. He clutched the book close to him and stared at him. "Siguro naman masaya ka na ngayong napatunayan mo na hindi lang ako barista."

"Partly." A wary smile quirked up her lips as her eyes flickered to Jay. "Madami parin akong tanong pero sa susunod na lang yun."

**Wednesday, 04-13-16, 4:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Jay stared at the mirror, wondering how Cat actually managed to convince her to get into a tight shirt. It wasn't like she had the body for it, after all. She ran a hand through her dark hair, frustrated that she picked the wrong color due to her preoccupied state the previous day. She will just have to live with it for the next three months, she supposed.

There was a soft knock on the door before it creaked open. Goyong stepped in, looking a bit anxious. "Hi," he started, sounding self conscious.

"Hi." She smoothed her shirt, surprised to notice him gazing at her chest. "Um, nandito sa mukha ko yung mga mata ko."

He turned red and locked eyes with her instead. "Sorry."

She quirked up her lips in a smirk. "Wala yun." She crossed her arms. "Akala ko niyaya kayong maginuman nung dati mong ayudante."

"Hindi na ako sumama - sila nalang ni Vince yung natuloy." A hint of amusement lit up Goyong's tired eyes. He tucked some of her wild hair behind her ear. "Nagusap ba kayo ni Adela? Tingin kasi siya ng tingin sayo kanina."

Her gut turned cold at the question. "Nagusap?" She couldn't lie - it just wasn't in her nature. She would hide and pretend that things were fine so that she wouldn't worry people, but she could never outright tell a lie. She told him the confrontation in the salon.

The amusement on his face grew. He leaned forward and pressed his warm lips against her forehead before taking her into his arms. "Ikaw talaga, dumagdag pa tuloy ako sa stress mo," he mumbled.

She chuckled and hugged him back. "Syempre, basta ba ikaw. Team na din tayo diba? Ikaw yung ulikbang patatas at ako yung lecheng dragon."

"Mismo." His eyes were aglow with something that made her feel warm and fuzzy as he watched.

_Hinding hindi ako magsasawa sa ganito._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You think shit already went real? Wrong. Shit is ABOUT to get real palang.


	12. Mad About the Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong brings home a visitor. Vince has the talk.

**Thursday, 04-14-16, 2:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

The sun was shining brightly - a little  _too_ brightly - as Nonong followed Paco through the heart of the city. They had barely been walking for more than ten minutes and yet he could already feel the sweat trickling down his face and his back. It definitely wasn't the way he wanted to spend the last half of his free month before launching himself back to hospital duties. "Kuya naman, malulusaw na ata ako sa init dito," he groaned.

"Exercise yan," insisted Paco. They passed by the church, which loomed over them like a mother hen looking after her young. "Kailangan ko ng tutulong sa palengke, ikaw lang yung walang ginagawa sa bahay eh."

"Sana man lang nagpahatid na tayo kay Kuya Manuel kanina." Nonong was sure that he was starting to get annoying with his constant complaining but he couldn't actually  _help_ it. He probably wouldn't survive a day without voicing out a complaint or two.

Paco sighed - he would probably end up losing weight that way, really. "Ewan ko sayo!"

They barely made it to the corner leading to the old marketplace when they bumped into someone who was now  _awfully_ familiar to them - Selong del Pilar. The older man was humming to himself, clutching a paper bag close to him which tumbled down as he collided with Paco. He looked up with a knowing, apologetic smile.

"Sabi na nga ba't magkikita tayo dito," he said, amusement coloring his voice. He bent to gather the paper bag and the notebooks that fell out of it.

Nonong scrambled to help him out before Paco did. "Buti po hindi nalang kayo bumisita sa bahay? Alam niyo naman po kung san kami nakatira ah."

" _Ciertamente,_ pero mas mukhang  _thrilling_ ata kung sa ganito ko muna kayo makita," Selong noted, eyes sparkling with mirth.

At least Paco didn't sigh this time. "So ano po bang meron, Tito?" he asked instead.

"Mamaya na natin pagusapan yun." Selong waved his hand flippantly at the question. "Alam ko namang kailangan niyo munang mamalengke. Samahan ko na muna kayo."

Paco agreed immediately, and Nonong couldn't do anything but follow them. "Exercise pa more!"

He supposed he had no choice but to accompany them for the next few hours, he supposed. At the back of his head as a quiet thought that started wondering about Selong and what it was that he wanted to discuss with them. The latter had mentioned that he could see flashes of the future and Nonong was worried that he might have something to say about the Baler trip that he was supposed to be going with Aurora. He wondered just how much trouble they would end up with, and if Selong had any advice to throw at them. He was picky about whose advice he appreciated - and aside from the team, the only one that he would feel comfortable with listening to would be Selong.

_Sana lang hindi naman mapanganib sa Baler._

His thoughts calmed down for a few seconds as they paused by the sidewalk, waiting for the traffic to ease up a bit and let them cross. He turned his eyes to the building housing one of the local colleges and thought he saw one of the dopplegangers. He blinked, and they were gone, though. He forced himself to chalk it up to his recent preoccupations. He was just expecting himself to see one of the dopplegangers and so he did. Not even they could appear and disappear in a second.

**Thursday, 04-14-16, 4:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Relief washed over Nonong when they made it home without much incident. Despite his constant reassurances to himself that he was just seeing things, he was still half expecting one of the dopplegangers - or  _Dolores herself_ \- to intercept them and attack. He couldn't breathe easily until they made it home with Selong in tow. Seeing the bustle of activity through the front windows made him ease up as Paco opened the side gates and let them in. The scent of the roses that Goyong planted in the corner of the garden greeted him as they headed for the main doors.

Manuel greeted them at the main doors, an amused look on his face. "Kaya pala nagtagal kayong mamalengke, ano? Mukhang may side trip pa pala kayong pinuntahan."

"Hindi naman po sa side trip, Kuya," Nonong said with his biggest, brightest smile. "Nagkataon lang na  _nakabangga_ namin si Tito Selong kanina."

"Nakabangga, right." Paco shook his head with a sigh.

The living room was surprisingly crowded for a Thursday afternoon. The entire team was inside, along with Tina, Marge, Nena, Angela and _Aurora_  who were poring over a stack of old boxes. They all looked up as Selong stepped into the living room.

A flutter of unsolicited warmth danced in Nonong's gut at the sight of his former wife.

"Sir del Pilar?" Aurora's voice cut past him, directed to the man that they brought home with them.

"Good afternoon, Miss Aragon." Selong's smile widened as he gave Aurora a slight nod. "Magiging boring na ang mga susunod na FilHis classes ko at wala na kayo ng mga blockmates mo doon."

Goyong cleared his throat. "Tito, wag mong sasabihing history prof ang cover story mo dito!"

Selong turned to him with a jovial, absentminded smile. "Correction, _mijo_ _._ Social studies professor ako dito sa Angeles."

"At di ka namin nakita?" Disappointment was clear on Goyong's face.

"Mukhang ganoon na nga. Hindi ko hawak ang sayaw ng tadhana kahit na nababasa ko ang iilang galaw nito." Selong turned to Aurora with a smile. "At least nahabol ko kayo ni Manuelito bago kayo lumuwas ng Baler."

Nonong felt his eyes widen at that. "Bakit po? May mangyayari po bang masama doon?"

Aurora frowned. "Hindi ko po maalala kung anong iniwan ko sa Baler."

"At hndi ko din alam kung ano ang nakahimlay na mga ala ala at sikreto doon." Selong closed his eyes, as if remembering something he didn't wish to. "Hindi lang sa Baler may naghihintay na panganib, kung hindi dito rin sa Angeles. Tina, alam kong naumpisahan mo na ang isa sa mga punyal. Maigi siguro kung matapos mo ito bago ang araw na iyon."

"Tatapos po ako ng dalawa kung kailangan," Tina said, exchanging glances with Julian who was perched nearby on one of the beanbags.

"Ano po bang mangyayari sa araw na yun?" Jay asked with a worried frown.

Selong closed his eyes, as if trying to bring up every detail he could about his visions of the future. "Hindi ko alam kung anong panganib ang naghihintay sa Baler, ngunit nakakasigurado akong may away na nangyayari. Wag kakalimutang magdala ng sunblock. Kailangan ko ng anim na tutulong sa akin sa Bicentennial Park sa Clark - isang lugar na mahalaga sa mga ninuno natin bago dumating ang mga Kastila. Ito ang araw bago ang tuluyang kabilugan ng buwan ngayong Abril - ang nagiisang araw sa buwan na ito na mababasbasan natin ang mga bagong punyal upang maging mabisa laban kay Dolores at sa mga anino."

"Siguradong pipigilan niya po tayo, ano?" Joven's voice sounded resigned. "Malamang akong inaabangan niya din tayo once a month diyan."

Rusca smiled savagely. "Game na game po kami diyan, wag kayong magalala."

Nonong sighed. He supposed they didn't have any other choice, unless they wanted to get killed by Dolores. He caught Aurora's gaze, and she looked away. A frustrated, thoughtful look crossed her face, as if she was struggling to remember something important. He had a feeling that she would eventually tell him what it was all about, and he wouldn't like it.  _Wala naman ata tayong magagawa, ano?_

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 04-14-16, 11:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Jay couldn't sleep. The silence in the room and the cool thrum of the air conditioning did nothing to soothe the stabbing pain in her chest. She needed something to take her mind off it long enough for her to actually doze off. Hopping out of her bed, she slipped back into her bra and loose shirt and darted out of the room, taking care not to wake up Cat when she shut the door behind her. She padded down the stairs, wondering if she could watch some movie or another in the living room, when she heard voices.

"So nacover na natin yung foreplay, yung mismong act, may basics na din ng aftercare," Goyong was saying loudly. "Nakuha ko na ngang magdrawing ng stick figures diyan sa papel mo para _reference._ Hindi mo parin sinasabi sakin bakit bigla kang nanghingi ng sex talk."

Jay stepped into the living room, standing right underneath the brilliant fluorescent light and leaning against a cabinet. She smiled at the sight of Goyong sitting on one of the sofa chairs like a king on his throne and Vince sprawled on a beanbag at his feet, scribbling intently on an old, battered notebook. "May  _after dark_ sessions pala kayo dito," she said, raising an eyebrow as the two startled men turned to glance at her. "Naks. Pumupuso na ba si Vince, ha?"

Vince's cheeks turned red as his eyes flickered to his notebook. He clutched it close to him as he smiled innocently. "Hindi naman, 'nay, nacurious lang ako."

Goyong gave him the smallest side eye before addressing his fiancee. "Wag kang maniwala diyan, sigurado akong uhaw yan kay Adela."

"Kasing  _uhaw_ mo para sa akin kahapon?" Jay asked, a small smile quirking up her pale lips. She chuckled and approached them. Despite her disapproval and annoyance with Adela, she didn't have the heart to burst Vince's excited bubble. She knew what it was like to be infatuated - and what it was like for that infatuation to segue into love once it fully bloomed. After all, wasn't she going to get married to that lost looking guy that she met by chance in the mall, eight months ago?

"Sina Nanay at Tatay, ayan nanaman sila." Vince covered his fiery cheeks with his notebook. "Wag namang ganyan."

Jay laughed and ruffled his hair, completely unaware of the unhealthy twinge in her chest. It seemed like her search for a distraction was working  _perfectly._ She closed her eyes, vaguely recalling sickly Poleng's first time with her only proper lover, the boy general himself. "Basta tandaan mo, sa first time mo, ilabas mo lahat ng alindog mo ha? Wag hayaang madisappoint si ategirl."

Goyong let out a little throat clearing cough. "Bhe, lasing ka ba? Pag nilabas niya lahat ng alindog niya baka kung anong gawin nila sa kama."

Jay reached out to silence him with a finger to his lips. "Ayan, alam mo na din kung anong ieexpect mo sa first time natin."

"Ah, hindi ka lasing - sabog at lutang ka na sa antok. Matulog ka na," Goyong said, his cheeks as red as Vince's.

Vince was vigorously scribbling down her advice though. "Ibigay ang lahat ng alindog,  _check._ Salamat, 'Nay."

Jay's smile deepened into a smirk. "Happy to serve, anak." She was sure that Vince would be using her advice to her advantage and wouldn't mind hearing about it eventually.


	13. Blow Your House Down

**Friday, 04-15-16, 3:30 PM, Angeles University Foundation**

Nonong squinted against the glare of the summer sun when he finally stepped out of the Dean's office, fighting his way against the throng of fellow incoming fourth year nursing students. He waved and greeted some of his blockmates along the way, excusing himself quickly after exchanging snippets of conversation with them. A new hacking project and an evening out with the del Pilars sounded more promising than going out on a horror movie marathon with his friends. Of course, it was easy to appease them by promising to join next time and he hoped that he would be able to fulfill it. Passing by the small group of last minute enrollees making it out of some office or another reminded him of how fast time flew. Being a freshman felt like yesterday to him. 

"Huy, Keso!" A loud, cheery voice jolted him out of his ruminations. He turned to see Fely Aguila sitting on a bench, a folder in hand. She grinned as he approached. "Mukhang may lakad ka ah. May date ka na ba ulit sa wakas? Ang tagal na kitang walang nakikitang kasamang ategirl ah."

A small frown creased his head as the back of his mind whispered that he hadn't dated any girl since Aurora hopped into the picture. He cussed quietly, chiding himself for thinking  _dangerous_ thoughts.  _Wala namang kinalaman sakanya ito. Nagkataon lang ito._ "Wala naman, sasamahan ko lang sa mall yung tatlo sa mga kuya ko. Bibili daw sila ng bagong phone."

"Sabay sabay?" She smiled and stood up. "Naks, mapera sila."

"Medyo luma na yung phone nila at nasira na yung kay Kuya Goyong," he explained. He fondly remembered the fact that Goyong was more upset over his broken phone than his hospital stay.

She ran a hand through her shoulder length hair. "Tara, samahan na kita sa labas. Papunta din naman ako sa  _cabalenan."_

He nodded with a smile. He supposed there wasn't any harm with letting her march out of the school grounds with him. They gave the guard at the gate identical smiles of mischief as they passed by, and Nonong cast his eyes around for the del Pilars. He spotted Goyong and the twins standing near a pharmacy across the highway. Julian's eyes lit up as he saw the boy and waved to get his attention. Nonong smiled and motioned to the nearby overpass. It was going to be a  _long_ walk to cross the busy road. He turned to Fely. "O siya, mauuna na ako ha?"

Fely's lips twitched up in amusement. "Tara na, samahan na kita."

He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Gusto mong makausap si Kuya Goyong, ano?"

"Ganon na nga," she chirped happily.

They crossed the surprisingly empty overpass to meet up with the del Pilars. Goyong ruffled Nonong's hair before turning to Fely. "Uy, nagenrol ka din ba ngayon?"

Fely smiled and punched him in the arm. "Malamang, blockmates kami nitong si  _Keso_ eh." She paused then raised an eyebrow. "So, kamusta naman ang life, bro?"

"Ako ba yung kinakamusta mo, o yung girlfriend ko?" Goyong asked with a small laugh.

Her cheeks turned red - she really couldn't stop talking about how bombshell Jay Hernando saved her the other day. "Ikaw."

Goyong didn't seem convinced. Amusement glittered in his eyes as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Same old, same old parin ako. At kung gusto mo talagang malaman, ayos naman si Jay. Healthy pa naman ata."

"Dapat lang." Fely ruffled his hair playfully. "Kung alam mo lang sana yung kaba namin sa emergency room nung sinugod siya ni Keso, nako. Magiingat kayong lahat, ah?" She turned to Julian, who was watching from a small distance with his twin. "Koronel, ikaw din!"

Nonong watched her jog away with a small, bemused smile.

**Friday, 04-15-16, 4:00 PM, SM Clark**

Despite the fact that they were in a blissfully crowded area, he couldn't help but feel paranoid over the fact that Dolores and her dopplegangers could be lurking in the mall. Of course, they wouldn't be able to mess around due to the tumultuous throng of people, but the fear at the back of Nonong's head remained. He followed the del Pilars to the upper level and lurked in a store while they hopped from shop to shop, discussing the pros and cons of different phones. Goyong's complaints about prefering his old, miserably crushed phone wafted through the area every now and then, followed by the twins' reassurances.

Time blurred for Nonong as he checked some new laptops, wondering if he could save up for an upgrade before he finally graduated.

Once again, his thoughts strayed dangerously to Aurora. They only had five days left before the trip to Baler and anxiety began to eat him up.  _Sigurado akong may expectations yan sa akin._ It wasn't like he was going to make a move on her once it's just the two of them. He was pretty sure that Aurora wasn't the only one who would punch him in the face. What scared him the most was the fact that it was so  _easy_ to differentiate between Manuel Quezon and Nonong Quezon and yet the feelings they had for their Aurora Aragon was pretty much the same despite that.

"Naks, ang lalim ng iniisip ni Nonong," Julian's voice snapped him out of his troubled thoughts.

He looked up to see the trio clutching identical paper bags and smiled. "Hindi naman sa malalim, Kuya."

Julio grinned at him, eyes sparkling with mad mischief. "Siguradong girl problems nanaman yung iniisip niyan. Diba may lakad kayo ni Aurora next week? Wag mong sasabihing may mangyayaring galawang Nonong dun!"

Goyong snorted. "Yan? Hindi man nga makapag-damoves kay Aurora yan eh! Baka bigwasin pa nung bata.

Nonong sighed. "Paano ako magdadamoves kung ayaw naman niya sakin diba?"

Julian narrowed his eyes, amusement etched on his face. "Si Au? Ayaw sayo? Ramdam na ramdam sa buong bahay yung sexual tension niyo, don't us. We'll see, bro. We'll see."

"Bakit sexual tension agad ang sinabi mo? Huy!" Nonong followed the snickering del Pilars out of the shop, feeling his cheeks burn red. He couldn't get anything out of them but teasing snickers, which was frustrating. "Sige, ganyanan nalang tayo!"

Goyong turned to face him, mirth etched on his face. "Basta tandaan mo lang na hindi maganda yang denial na yan. Hindi  _healthy_ yan. Search deep within yourself lang, bro. Alam kong alam mo din kung bakit nasabi ni Julian yun."

Julio burst into laughter at that. "Mas maganda nang yakapin na yang nararamdaman mo at lumundag na sa kawalan kaysa yung ginagawa mo yung sariling sakit mo sa ulo."

Nonong decided to change the subject quickly. All the talk about Aurora and sexual tension was making him feel too iffy - he had to take his mind off it before he went mad. "Nakabili na lahat kayo ng mga phone niyo?"

Julio nodded with a grin. "Oo, parepareho nalang kami ng binili, iba iba nga lang yung kulay." He squinted knowingly. "Iniiba mo yung usapan eh."

Before Nonong could open his mouth to say something, Julian's old phone rang loudly. People stared at the loud Fall Out Boy music that blared before the owner could fumble around and answer his phone. Silence fell as Julian excused himself to answer his call. An odd drop of dread spilled into Nonong's thoughts despite the fact that it was just a phone call. It could be from anyone, could even be from someone Julian knew outside of the team. He cast his eyes around and saw the same anxiety in Julio's eyes. Goyong's face was as calm as still waters, taking in the passive look of a general of old, though he could definitely be as worried as the rest of them were.

There was this quiet feeling that something was wrong, though.

"Tumawag sina Tina," Julian said, rejoining them. If Nonong remembered correctly, Tina, Jay and Margarita also went phone shopping in Marquee Mall. "Kaninang naglalakad na sila sa may kanto natin, may nakita daw silang kahawig ng anino ni Goyong."

"Putsa." Goyong's face was as calm as ever but worry and rage already tinged his deep voice. "Nasaan sila ngayon?"

"Nasa bahay. Silang tatlo lang yung nandoon - nasa Bacolor sina Rusca at Nena, nasa Mabalacat si Cat at yung mga Bernal, nasa Porac parin sina Kuya Paco at Ate Jules." Julian sounded as scared as Nonong felt. "Sina Joven at Angela hindi nila macontact, baka nasa sinehan pa sa Marquee. Yung mga Enriquez di rin sumasagot - alam ko nakipaginuman sa mga barkada nila nung college."

"Shit." Julio took out his car keys and handed them to his brother. "Kambal, take the wheel. Kailangan nating makauwi agad."

Nonong nodded. He hoped that nothing would happen, that the doppleganger was simply a trick of the eye.

**Bonus**

**Friday, 04-15-16, 4:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Goyong was well aware of the fact that they were driving well past the speed limit, but he didn't care. His mind was reeling from fear and worry. He was sure that the ladies could handle themselves quite well against the doppleganger - they would most likely fare much, much better than the men, in fact. What worried him the most was the fact that it was the fifteenth of April, exactly two months after Dolores cursed Jay, exactly three months before the curse is said to take full effect. The last time Jay was in the vicinity of his doppleganger, her curse began to progress. He shuddered to think of what it might mean this time.

The house was eerily quiet when they finally parked in the garage. Goyong couldn't help but feel  _terribly_ aware of the dagger that he was hiding in his jacket sleeve, afraid that Dolores or her minions might strike at any time. They made it into the house, where the three ladies were standing on alert. Tina was perched by the kitchen door, polishing her eskrima swords. Margarita was standing at the foot of the stairs, clutching one of Jay's knives with a bemused look on her face. Jay herself was sitting by the bay window, face starkly pale against her vivid red hair.

"Wala pa kaming nakikitang kahit anong sign nung anino," she said matter of factly. "Pero mas maganda nang maraming tao dito, at least magdadalawang isip sila bago lumapit."

Goyong nodded, doing a quick headcount. There were seven of them, and only one doppleganger was reportedly seen. He would definitely think twice about attacking. "Di bale nang magmukhang overacting, mas maganda nang ligtas lahat tayo." He just hoped that the doppleganger wasn't trying to waylay anyone else from the team.

Someone's watch buzzed, signaling the half hour.

Jay let out a soft groan and slumped on her seat, clutching her chest.  _Fuck._ They all dashed to her as she began to gasp for breath. Expletives danced in Goyong's train of thoughts as they gently straightened her on the long bench, panic lacing his every movement. Her eyes started to close, sparking fear in him. He reached for her chest, his hand slowly brushing her fingers away as he felt for her pulse, which was still as erratic and painful as he remembered the last time she let him check. There was something wrong though, and as he looked up to say something to Nonong, Jay let out a soft cry and he felt the pulse skid to a sudden stop.

"Tumigil. Putangina." He was about to withdraw his hand when he felt it start again - more agonized, more erratic.

Moments of anxious silence passed before there was a loud, choking cough and Jay opened her eyes. Her face was still screwed up in pain and she was struggling for breath.

"Isusugod ka na ba namin sa ospital?" Nonong asked, face white from fear.

Jay tried to sit up but flopped right back to the seat weakly. "Hindi." A flash of annoyance lit up her eyes. "Same shit lang naman sasabihin nila, hindi ba? Wala naman silang magagawa sa sumpa ko."

"Pero dapat parin nilang tignan yan," the boy argued.

Goyong had to admit that they both had a point. "Kailangan mo ng tulong. Tumigil yung puso mo ng ilang segundo."

"Hindi." Jay sat up, sliding Goyong's hand away from her skin. "Ayos lang ako. Nangyari na ito nung minsang gabi. Wag kayong magalala. Hindi naman ako susubukang patayin ni Dolores for good hangga't hindi pa July."


	14. Up and Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong prepares for Baler. Vince reminisces.

**Monday, 04-18-16, 12:45 PM, SM Clark**

Nonong followed Jay into the mall entrance, which was crowded despite it beeing a weekday. The heat was in full blow, after all, and it wasn’t pleasant for those in their summer breaks. Jay kept turning to him every few steps, as if making sure that he was still keeping up.

“Ate, sigurado kang kaya mo nang maglakad lakad ha?” he told her, remembering that she was bedridden all throughout the weekend.

She made a face and flicked some of her hair off her face with a wince. “Sapilitan na nga akong pinaalis ni Kuya sa trabaho, sumasali ka pa?”

“Hindi mo naman kailangan yung trabaho, kayo namang dalawa yung may ari sa café,” he pointed out.

She stared at him darkly before turning away. “Tara na, kailangan prepared ka sa field trip niyo sa Baler. Balita ko perfect vacation spot yun – sakto at summer pa man din.”

“Papalitan mune nanaman ing pisasabyan ne?” Pinapalitan mo nanaman yung pinaguusapan ano? Nonong rolled his eyes as he followed his cousin through the noticeably crowded mall.

Her lips twitched into a small grin as they headed into a clothing shop. “Medyo. Hindi ako ganun kagaling sa pagporma pero good na yung mga summer tshirt at shorts para sayo, hindi ba?”

Nonong sighed as he followed her through racks of clothes. It wasn’t going to be a vacation though everyone else at home seemed to think otherwise. He wasn’t exactly sure how to convince them that they were actually there for whatever it was that Aurora left behind – something that she claimed would be playing an important part in finally defeating Dolores for good. He wasn’t going to lie, the mere fact that she actually found something that would help them was too intriguing for him. He vaguely remembered her research, now that Selong has returned to the picture, vaguely remembered the immortal seeking out his wife for her extensive Filipiniana collection and the knowledge that they could have been holding.

He wasn’t there for a vacation and was most definitely not there to hang out with Aurora. She made it clear that she barely tolerated him, after all.

_Basta ako, tumutulong lang ako sa team._

“Huy, ang lalim ata ng iniisp mo ah?” Jay asked, making him jump.

He looked up to see her clutching two board shorts. “May sinasabi ka ba?”

“Kanina ko pa tinatanong kung mas gusto mo yung pula o yung berde,” she said, her eyes glittering in amusement. She was definitely aware of where his thoughts were veering to. She pointed to a small pile of similar clothing on a rack. “Baka naman gusto mo ng blue? Mahilig sa blue si Au.”

“Eh ano ngayon kung mahilig siya sa blue? Pumayag na nga akong samahan mo akong magshopping, hindi mo naman kailangang ipagpilitan si Aurora sa akin.” His voice came out a little too sharply, and he knew it the moment that the silence hit them.

Jay stared at him, all the childish glee gone from her face. She set down the clothes she was clutching and hefted her backpack. “May point ka,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Napasobra ata ako. Sorry.”

Nonong’s eyes widened. “Huy, ate, nagbibiro lang ako.”

She shook her head and headed for the exit, her strides unusually swift . “Kain na lang tayo tapos uwi na.”

With her headstart, he didn’t catch up with her until she was a couple of shops away. “Ate, sandali lang!” They’ve been told not to upset, anger, or tire her, especially with her condition. Goyong would kill him if she got too upset and fell ill again.

She stopped walking and turned to him with a dejected frown. "Ano?"

Before he could give her a properly worded apology, he felt his skin suddenly start crawling. He looked around and spotted  _Dolores_ standing nearby with a small smirk on her face. She turned away as she caught his gazw and disappeared among the crowd.

"Nakita mo ba siya?" He jogged toward his cousin, closing the distance between them.

"Oo." Jay didn't sound too pleased by it. She raised her hand to her chest and rubbed it absentmindedly in a move that was quite reminiscent of Goyong. "Tara, kain na tayo. Dapat makauwi tayo bago magdala ng anino yun dito."

"Kakain pa tayo?" He wailed, following her yet again. "Pwede namang take out nalang para agad tayong makauwi ah!"

An obstinate look crossed Jay's face. "Gutom na ako! At least busog na tayo just in case na kailangan nating labanan yung anino squad niya."

Nonong sighed. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to have lunch first. It sounded much tempting than fighting Dolores and her minions while carrying takeout food with them.

**Monday, 04-18-16, 2:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

They made it home without much incident, which he supposed they should be thankful about. He was half expecting an attack with every step they took in the mall. He barely enjoyed his meal as he thought Dolores might bust in at any moment, and even the jeep ride home made him feel jumpy.

What scared him the most was Jay's silence. He wasn't sure if she was still hurt by his words, or if it was simply because she was still thinking of Dolores. For all her bravado, she was surely still as afraid as they were.

Only Paco was waiting for them in the living rokm, hard at work with a slideshow presentation on his laptop. He looked up as they approached, a small smile on his face.

"Napaaga ata yung balik niyo," he observed before turning back to his work.

Nonong shrugged. He didn't want to get into  _too much_ details. "Nandun kasi si Dolores kaya napauwi kami ng wala sa oras. Better safe than sorry."

Paco nodded in understanding. "Kaya naman pala. Mukhang hindi naman siya nambulabog gaano, ano?"

"Hindi nga," agreed Jay. "Pero nagmamasid siya kanina. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong balak niya pero..." She shuddered, as if remembering something. She glanced at the window before turning to them. "Napanaginipan ko kasi siya kagabi."

 _Napanaginipan?_ Nonong scowled. "Lumala na nga yung sumpa mo nung Friday, tapos binubulabog ka pa sa panaginip? Wow ha." He thought of Aurora, _yet again,_ and wondered just how much she delved into Dolores' identity. Her knowledge was certainly big enough to warrant her death.

Jay stared at them with muted anger in her eyes. "Oo. Pero hayaan niyo na yun. It's between Dolores and me nalang. Pag talaga nambulabog ulit yun, tignan lang niya. Bibigwasan ko sya ng kaliwa't kanan." She slammed her fist on her palm, as if to make a point.

Suppressing a chuckle, Nonong excused himself and shuffled to his room. His stomach fluttered with anticipation over the Baler trip with Aurora herself, and anxiety over anything that Dolores might be cooking up for them. He was no fighter - he wasn't the soldier that he was in his former life - and he was afraid that one of them would get hurt in Baler. _Di bale na sigurong ako lang yung masaktan._ He stared at the full body mirror in one corner - his mother's antique mirror, which he never had the heart to throw out. He stared at his reflection, every edge and curve of his face, comparing the subtle differences that his features had with his past life. There was too little of it, to his disappointment. Nonong Quizon still had a lot of Manuel Quezon in him and he hated it.

And the most terrifying thing about it was the fact that he retained his _attraction_ to a certain Aurora Aragon, and he was sure that he would end up thrown off the whole length of an escalator again if she found out.

**Bonus**

Monday, 04-18-16, 2:30 PM, Museo Ning Angeles

Vince followed Goyong through the old, Spanish-era building that comprised the museum, goosebumps running down his arms. It brought him back to another time, another Vicente Enriquez, and all the bittersweet memories that came with them. It didn't help that Adela Reyes - Addie - visited the cafe frequently, striking _friendly_ conversations with him and the boy general.

He blinked rapidly, reminding himself that they were there for another reason. _Mamaya mo na isipin yang kung ano mang exaggerated, melodramatic flashback na yan, Dios mio._

They entered the main office leading to the archive room, which was surprisingly comfy in a cramped and cluttered way. The former intern and newest member of the archives, Jose Bugallon, was seated behind the desk, sorting and scribbling on some documents. He hasn't changed since they met on that Baguio trip a couple months back, his customary mad smile still in place. He looked up as they approached and the smile brightened. "Kuya Vince, 'tay! Long time no see."

Goyong reflected his smile tiredly, sitting on a cushioned chair like a king who had just come home after a conquest. "Long time no see, indeed. Kamusta naman yung trabaho mo dito sa Museo? Same old parin ba? Losyang na losyang si Ate Cat lately ah."

Bugallon made a face. "Napadami lang yung mga history students na dumadaan para sa thesis nila. Ayos naman dapat pero di sila katulad ng batch namin - makulit, makalat, hindi amrunong makinig kapag sinasagot namin yung mga tanong nila."

Vince picked up a random chair and plopped on it. "Harsh, bro."

"Harsh nga." Goyong chuckled. He settled a box of donuts on the table. "Merienda oh."

"Merienda o suhol?" Bugallon chuckled but took a glazed pastry anyway. "Anong meron, 'Tay? Tungkol sa witchcraft at kay Dolores parin ba ito?"

"Negative." Goyong leaned forward with a slight desperate glint in his brown eyes. "Actually walang kinalaman sa magic ito. Regular magic shit lang. Nahihiya kasi akong magtanong kay Ate Cat, medyo _busy_ sila palagi ng boyfriend niya eh."

Vince couldn't help but laugh at that. _Busy_ was an understatement. "'Tay, kala mo naman sino yung hindi mahilig humaliparot noon oh."

Goyong's cheeks turned red and he brushed his hand across his forehead absentmindedly. Was he _doing_ anything of the sort with Jay, too? "Hoy, foul!"

Bugallon cleared his throat, amusement making the expression on his face impossibly _madder._ "So anong klaseng tulong ito?"

"May hinahanap kasi kaming records - hindi namin alam anong gagawin." Goyong didn't seem to know how to word it either. "Records ni Julietta Paulino Hernando."

"Teka, diba pangalan ni Nanay Jay yun?" Bugallon asked, clearly baffled.

"Pangalan din yun ng pinsan ng ancestor nila - yung original Joven Hernando." Vince lowered his voice, not sure how he could help the boy general. "Siya din si Poleng."

That seemed enough for Bugallon. "Ah, more reincarnation shiz ano? Hindi ako sigurado kung anong mahahanap namin sa archives pero tutulong ako, no worries."

The door creaked open behind them, making Vince twitch in his seat. _Selong del Pilar_ stepped in, a pile of books in hand. He was humming to himself absentmindedly - and stopped when he saw the trio in front of him. "Naku."

Bugallon waved at him cheerily. "Professor del Pilar, good afternoon po!" He paiused, as if realizing what he said. "Prof, kamag anak po ba kayo nina Kuya Goyong?" 

Selong nodded and approached them, setting the books down on the table. "Oo, pamangkin ko ang makulit na batang ito." His chuckled as Goyong squirmed at his words. He turned back to Bugallon with a smile. "Binabalik ko lang yung mga librong hiniram ko nung isang araw para sa lesson plan ko."

"Noted po, sir! Sabihin ko nalang kay Ate Cat, nasa meeting lang siya ngayon." Bugallon counted the books and picked out a piece of paper on his stack, scribbling hastily.

Selong turned to Goyong and Vince, his cheerfulness gone all of a sudden. "Sigurado akong nandito kayo dahil hinahanap niyo ang naging tadhana ni Poleng noon," he noted all of a sudden in a low voice. "Ikinalulungkot ko, ngunit nakita ko na ito dati. Wala dito ang hinahanap niyong mga kasagutan. Nasa Bulacan ito, kasama ng isa sa mga inapo ni Totillo."

Goyong froze. "Si Totillo? Yung utusan nina Poleng noon?" His face turned white. "At Bulacan? As in _Bulacan?_ "

Selong nodded. "Bulacan - malapit kung saan nakatira ang mga kapatid ng kambal. Mainam na doon niyo umpisahan ang paghahanap niyo."

Goyong didn't seem to happy with it. "Siguro nga po."

Vince looked down. The mention of Bulacan stirred yet even more bittersweet memories in him. _Gago, wag masyadong melodramatic. Kadiri ka._ He couldn't help but hope that he could return to Bulacan with someone from the team though. He didn't mind feeling nostalgic every now and then, despite his eagerness to lose all associations with the former Vicente Enriquez.


	15. Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong heads for Baler.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 6:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Nonong felt his gut fluttering when he realized that they would be leaving for Baler at any moment. He wasn't ready for it - but then again, _when_ exactly was he ready for anything? His stomach churned as he lurked in a corner of the dining table, wedged between Julian and Joven. Not even the smell of strong coffee was enough to calm him. Rusca and Paco were arguing loudly in the kitchen while Julio was setting down hot _pandesal_ in front of him.

"Basta ingat sa field trip," Joven was saying sagely as fumbled for a bottle of peanut butter. "Baka mahilo ka sa bus, nagbaon ka ba ng gamot?"

Nonong nodded. It wasn't like he was the one who packed most of his things - Jay and Cat took care of that for him. It reminded him of his mother, which sent a twinge down his gut. His parents and his brother were all dead - he had to live the rest of his life for them. "Tangina, hindi naman ako nahihilo sa bus ah!"

Julio snorted as he settled down beside his twin. "There's a first time for everything, bro."

The back door opened and Jay stepped in with Aurora. Nonong felt his stomach flutter madly as he caught sight of her, making him immediately look down and finish his breakfast in a hurry. The coffee scalded his tongue but it was better than saying something that might earn Aurora's further dislike. _Hindi naman dapat ako maging apektado pero tangina naman this!_

"Bro, ayos ka lang?" Julian asked quietly. "Parang magsusuka ka diyan."

He nodded, not trusting his ability to speak at the moment. He really might end up embarrassing himself.

"Hoy, supot, ready ka na ba?" Aurora asked. "Hindi ako magiging babysitter so bahala ka sa buhay mo pag may nangyari sayo, ha?"

Nonong fought hard not to bristle. Showing her dislike was one thing, but now she was just _way_ below the belt. He bit his tongue and refused to respond. He hated it - the way that she didn't even treat him like a human being half the time. He remembered the conversations he had with her whenever she let her guard down. They still weren't enough to soothe any stings and barbs that her regular behavior struck him with.

Footsteps echoed from the stairs behind him as Goyong and Jose came dashing down, talking loudly. Goyong leaned from the stairs' wooden rails to peer at Nonong with a catlike grin. "Ngayon na nga pala yung lakad mo papuntang Baler, ano? Handa ka na bang harapin ang kung anumang multo ang naiwan mo doon?"

Nonong stared at him blankly. "Multo? Bakit may iiwanan akong multo doon?" _Ako na si Nonong Quizon, hindi na si Manuel Quezon._ The former president was nothing more than a past life to him at this point. He closed his eyes, trying to silence the small voice in his head that insisted that they were still one and the same.

Goyong stared at him with eyes that belied his true age - a boy general who was fourteen decades old. "Alam kong hindi na ikaw ang presidente noon," he said in an unusually gentle voice. "Pero may mga ala ala siguro tayong kailangang matahimik bago tayo maging payapa sa mga sarili natin."

"Ayan nanaman yang lolo vibes mo eh," Jose said with a small smirk as he sat down across the table from Nonong.

Nonong let out a small huff of breath. _Closure. Gusto mo bang maghanap ako ng closure sa Baler? Hindi ko namang kailangang pumunta doon dahil si Aurora lang yung kailangan ko para dito._

He caught Aurora staring at him and he steeled himself to stare back. He wasn't Manuel Quezon anymore, shouldn't be saddled by a long dead man's guilt and sins. He looked her in the eye and he saw something shift on her face. He wasn't sure what it was but he hoped that it was a good thing - or at least a good start. He excused himself and got up to brush his teeth. His stomach fluttered as he thought of the fact that they would be leaving for Baler in a few minutes. His mind strayed to the old place where he and Aurora grew up in their past lives, where they would be hurtling right back into to chase after whatever is waiting for them in there.

He stared at the mirror as he splashed water on his face, examining his features. For the first time since he remembered the past, he could only see Nonong Quizon and none of Manuel Quezon.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 6:30 AM, Dau Terminal**

The crowd in the terminal milled about, jostling him as he and Aurora shouldered their way toward the bus lines that would be heading for Baler. He scanned the crowd, almost by instinct, wondering if Dolores or the dopplegangers would be on the watch for them. He was afraid of them, sure, but there was also the small spark of pride in his gut. The witch was wary of them, was wary of the information that they would get in Baler, he was sure of it.

They would just have to make sure that she was right to fear them, of course.

"Mag-iingat kayo," Jay said, patting his shoulder heavily. There was a dire look in her eyes as she leaned forward and whispered, "Nasa ibaba ng backpack mo yung  _special_ na kutsilyo ni Goyong. Good luck at enjoy."

"Ingat din kayo," he blurted out, glad that Jay forgave him for his words a couple of days ago.

"Yung mga souvenirs, wag niyong kalimutan!" Rusca said cheerfully from behind them.

They settled into a nigh empty bus, taking over a seat by the door. The only other passengers at that hour were a gaggle of college age girls who were eyeing the two of them with giggles. Nonong shot them a blank look before settling on his spot by the window and leaning back.

"Galit ka ba sakin? Kanina mo pa ako hindi kinakausap," Aurora said, making him wonder if she was deliberately ruining his plans to get a bit of sleep before they reached Baler.

He stared sideways at her, wondering what brought that about. "Hindi ako  _galit,_ " he explained. "Masakit lang pag minsan yung pagtrato mo sa akin."

"Ah." She looked away, guilt on her face. "I never treated you well nga naman, ano?"

He chose not to reply, knowing that he wouldn't have anything tactful to say, anyway. He'd rather keep his silence than risk angering her even more.

"I would appreciate it kung sasabihan mo ako kapag sumosobra na ako," she pointed out before leaning back and closing her eyes, effectively shutting him off.

He wondered if he would ever understand her. He knew that not  _all_ women were like that. Despite Jay's brash personality, she was much easier to figure out than Aurora would probably ever be. He glanced out at the windows as the bus slowly filled up, glad that their punctuality meant that they would be getting prime spots for the trip.

He spotted Jay and Rusca talking quietly in the midst of the crowd that would be seeing the bus off, and he didn't miss the worry that was evident on their faces. He hoped that it was all unfounded. He was going to go home safe and sound with Aurora. Nothing was going to go wrong in Angeles either. He had to believe it or he would go mad.

It was going to be a long trip to Baler, he was sure of it.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 8:45 AM, Cabanatuan City**

_He knew he was dreaming._

_He was standing at the edge of a vaguely familiar beach, dressed in a white shirt and gray pants that were folded up to the middle of his calves. His bare feet brushed against the rough, warm sand as he headed for spot where the sea kissed the land. The tidal winds brushed his cheeks, caressed him like a mother who had just been reunited with her son._

_He had no idea how long he stood there, admiring its beauty. It was quite a while before he heard footsteps, forcing him to turn around and face the newcomer._

_His guts felt like they were spilling out when he saw that it was Dolores. He froze, unable to breathe, his entire being starting to tremble. She smiled at him sinisterly as she stood in front of him, her hair and dress motionless despite the constant breeze._

_"Mukhang hindi niyo parin naintindihan ang babala ko noong isang araw." Her eyes glared straight at him and if looks could truly kill, he would have dropped dead at that moment. "Masyadong malayo ang Baler para sa aking kakayanan sa ngayon ngunit humanda kayo - wala na kayong babalikang mga kaibigan sa Angeles, Manuel."_

_Mind games - that was all there was to her words. She could have been lulling them into a false sense of security and could be lying in wait in Baler for all he knew. "Sa tingin mo ba talaga eh maniniwala pa kami sayo, bitch? Wait and see. Pababagsakin ka rin namin."_

_The last thing he saw before the dream faded was the outrage on Dolores' face._

"Hoy, Keso!" Aurora's voice roused him from sleep, the worry in it alarming him.

He opened his eyes to see her peering a little too worriedly at him. He was sitting in a very uncomfortable way, and a spot in between his shoulder blades hurt. He straightened up, rubbing his back as he stared at her. "Anong meron?" he asked a little dazedly.

There was something  _odd_ about her expression, making him wonder if there was something wrong. "Ang likot mo kasing matulog, nagsasalita ka pa."

"Wala naman atang masama dun," he told her, preparing himself mentally for any cruel mocking that she might suddenly employ. "Pasensya naman kung hindi mo ako katulad kung matulog. Hindi naman kasi ako  _perfect_ na kagaya mo."

She stared at him, clearly hurt. His gut twinged with quiet guilt but he also felt satisfied that he was giving her a taste of her own medicine. She looked away, choosing to land her gaze upon the doors instead. "Galit ka nga sakin, ano?"

He chose not to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


	16. Smile at Me

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 11:00 AM, Baler, Aurora**

Of course, Nonong would never tell Aurora about that short instance along Pinagtabangan where she actually _leaned_ on him and had her arm around his waist while she was sleeping. He would never hear the end of her rage if he did. There was always a time and place for talking - and for lashing out.

He felt sore as they hopped out of the bus, the stagnation brought about by the four hour trip taking its toll. He still couldn't shake off the thoughts of Dolores and her warnings despite the fact that he kept insisting to himself that it was just part of her mind games. _Doon naman siya magaling diba? Sa mind games at pananakot?_ Of course, he knew that she really was dangerous but a lot of it was brought about by her ability to play with their fears.

Everyone in Angeles was fine and Dolores hasn't set anything up in Baler.

"So nasaan nga pala yung pupuntahan natin?" he finally asked, just to try and be friendly with her.

Aurora looked at him with terrified confusion in her eyes. "Matagal na akong di pumupunta dito."

"Mas lalo namang ako, hindi pa ako pumupunta dito magmula nung, um,  _pinanganak_ ako." Nonong looked around the place, which was  _most definitely not_ the Baler that he knew in his past life. "Paano niyan?"

"Di pa rin ako nakabalik dito mula nung pinanganak ako," Aurora admitted reluctantly.

Well, that made two of them.

They wandered around for a few minutes, hopelessly lost. Aurora apparently knew what they were supposed to be looking for, but then again, they had no idea how to get there, no idea whether the place still stood. "Nakapagpareserve ka naman ng tutuluyan natin dito diba?" he asked.

She blinked and shook her head. "May susi ako sa rest house namin."

"At di mo rin alam nasaan yun," he said, trying hard not to sound like he was so resigned.

"Hindi nga." Aurora turned and scanned the street. "Wag kang sasabog, please?"

"Sasabog?" Nonong threw his head back and laughed. "Tangina, bakit ako sasabog eh ikaw nga itong hindi ko maintindihan kung galit ba sa akin 24/7 o ano?"

She eyed him like a wounded gazelle but he didn't care. She seemed to let it slide, at least. "Ang baho din ng signal, di ako makapag data para masubukan yung Google Maps."

"At kelan pa umayos ang signal dito sa Pilipinas, aber?" he asked with a sigh. He couldn't help but let it be known that he was so  _done._

"May point ka," she relented.

They wandered around for a while, making it hopelessly obvious to the world that they were lost tourists. Nonong supposed that it couldn't be helped. For all intents and purposes, they really  _were_ lost tourists, after all. Maybe he should just lean back and enjoy the view. Baler was still beautiful in its own way, he had to admit.

Wandering through the Poblacion area, he really couldn't help but look around, wondering if he would feel  _something_ if he saw a familiar place from his past. They ended up buying ice drops from a store to quell their hunger while they looked for someplace to eat. They waded through the small crowd, heavily aware that some people were giving them odd looks.

That was when they found themselves in Quezon Memorial Park.

He exchanged glances with Aurora, who shrugged. "Gusto mong silipin?" she asked.

He shrugged back at her before turning to the trees that seemed to beckon to them. He knew that it wouldn't hurt to have a look at the place. It wasn't like Baler still held the most important memories to him, no matter how much the place still had a special part in his heart. He was Nonong Quizon, and Angeles was his home. Still, goosebumps rose along the length of his arms as he made his way through the path, joining the cluster of tourists in the area. He didn't even feel any sort of connection aside from a mild case of nostalgia when he beheld a replica of his former presidential car. There was also a replica of the hut where he was born, but all it did was made him think of his  _real_ home and his childhood.

Even the statue of Manuel Quezon at the center of the park just gave him a nostalgic tickle in his gut. Nothing more.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 12:30 PM, Baler, Aurora**

The last dredges of the cheese flavored ice drop was still fresh on Nonong's tongue by the time they hopped to  _Museo de Baler_ near the park and wandered around for an hour. He expected something gut wrenching - something akin to the grief that some of his friends had when revisiting their pasts - but there really was nothing of the sort. He shouldn't have been surprised, really. Wasn't the fact that he was reborn in a different family enough of an explanation for his lack of connection to his past life?

It was a good thing, he had to keep reminding himself.

They ended up eating a quick lunch in a  _carinderia_ before heading out again. Their trip to search for whatever Aurora left in Baler had ended up transforming into an actual vacation trip, and Nonong admitted that they better make the most out of it. It wasn't that bad, despite the fact that he couldn't really feel a deep connection to the place anymore. He once heard a professor talking about how revisiting one's roots was very important and he realized that he was _no Quezon_ anymore to feel anything in Baler. He was a Quizon and a Hernando from Angeles.

They eventually found themselves in the city hall area - right across the street from the Church of Baler. If Nonong barely felt anything but goosebumps before, now he was feeling an odd trembling in his gut. He couldn't understand it, but the place seemed to be calling out to him, as if telling him that it was hiding something important.

At least Aurora seemed to sense it too. She scooted a little closer to him, rubbing an arm uncomfortably as she stared at the church. "Kingina, dito ko tinago yung mga notes," she murmured softly. "Hindi ko parin maalala kung anong sinulat ko dun."

"Tara, tignan natin kung may maaalala ka." Nonong smiled and led the way to the church courtyard, the sun beating down over their heads. He felt odd as he beheld the church without the familiarity that Manuel Quezon would have had. He was just a tourist who happened to have the president's memories, nothing else.

"Bwakanginang shit, dito dito," Aurora said distractedly, dashing toward a spot where a small tree stood, its verdant leaves swaying with the soft breeze. She tapped her foot at the edge of the stone bricks that segued into the soil that acted as the tree's base. She glared at the small roots peeking out of the dark loam, as if deep in thought. "Binaon ko dito yung kahon..."

"So maghuhukay tayo gaya ng ginawa ni Kuya Joven sa Manaoag?" Nonong asked, his lips quirking into a small, excited smile. He remembered his cousin's story and didn't mind recreating it. As a matter of fact, he was feeling recklessly excited over it.

She nodded. "Hindi pwede ngayon at mahuhuli tayo," she pointed out. _Captain obvious ka din ba, bhe?_ "Illegal yun syempre."

Nonong sighed dramatically and waved his hands around. "Illegal? Been there, done that. Dapat gayahin natin dito si Kuya Joven. Bumalik ng gabi na may dalang mga pala para makapaghukay."

"Si Kuya Joven like si _Kuya Joven?_ " she asked in amazement, her dark eyes widening in awe. She looked around, as if wondering how they could sneak in that night. "Sabi ni Nanay, sobrang good boy yun."

He grinned and leaned forward, eyes sparkling in mischief and amusement. "Alam mo, Hernando kami. At ang mga Hernando..." He shook his head, stopping himself from laughing. "I think dapat alam mo na ang best description para sa current generation ng mga Hernando, friend."

She stared at him as if fully, _truly_ seeing him for the first time. Her eyes locked with his and he could see something in them - something he hasn't seen from her before, not in this lifetime. "Hernando ka."

"Uy, matagal ng established yun. Hernando si Mama at Quizon si Papa." He turned away and surveyed the church again with a tourist's inquisitive eye.

"Hindi Molina and Quezon... Hernando at Quizon nga pala..." She kept mumbling that until they wandered away from the church.

Whatever came into her was definitely important, but Nonong was more preoccupied with thoughts of how to dig around for Aurora's box that night.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 2:00 PM, Baler, Aurora**

They made it out of the church and wandered around some more, enjoying their time there as actual tourists. They decided to walk and tire themselves out before asking the locals for directions to Aurora's family resthouse, enjoying the scenery instead of being too businesslike about their quest. Nonong appreciated it, finally falling in love with Aurora - the place, not the girl - as their feet took them wherever they pleased. He still felt the quiet ache in his gut though, the small sting of homesickness that made him yearn for Angeles, for his home, for his ragtag family.

"Hoy, Aragon!" someone called out.

Nonong turned around to face the person in question, followed by Aurora who sucked in her breath. A boy around their age stood across the crowded street, a smirk on his pale face. He eyed Nonong appraisingly before his eyes flitted to Aurora with something akin to jealous rage as he made his way toward them. Nonong knew that feeling.

Aurora stood a little closer to Nonong, fists clenched. "Thirdy," she said in a clipped voice. 

"Akala ko bang nakipagbreak ka sakin dahil _needy_ ako at acads ang focus mo? Bakit may boyfriend kang kasama dito? Of all places?" Thirdy's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Nonong again. "Bitch."

Nonong's temper skyrocketted at those words. _Eh ako nga hindi ko siya tinawag na bitch kahit na inaaway niya ako! "Wag mo siyang tawaging _bitch!__

He punched Thirdy in the face before he could stop himself. A sense of contentment settled in his gut when his foe went sprawling on the sidewalk clutching his nose and an outraged look on his face. A crowd was starting to gather around them.

"Hoy! Kalma!" Aurora growled, grabbing his arms to stop him from landing another punch. "Insulto lang yun!"

"Yun nga!" barked Nonong. "Ininsulto ka niya!"

Aurora gently tugged him away as she spotted a pair of _barangay tanods_ approaching them. "Tara na, baka arestuhin ka pa ng wala sa oras dito," she whispered.

 _Fine._ He supposed he could listen to her every now and then.

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 2:00 PM, Angeles City Library**

It was a fine day for walking around, Goyong supposed. The only thing that he really didn't like was the fact that they were poking around the still vacated second storey of the city library, helping Ka Andres poke around the place to investigate the _bombing_ that apparently took place in there. He remembered Nonong's story about the explosion, about Dolores looking for some kind of map in there. _Mapa ng libingan... libingan ni Poleng?_ He also remembered Marcelo's direwarnings - they must not let Dolores find the grave and the ring buried with his first love.

His thoughts wandered to that day that they were waylaid by his doppleganger, who was seeking Totillo Mamucud's diary - Totillo, who served Poleng's family, who was her closest confidante. He wondered if it all had something to do with her grave.

He searched around the abandoned stockroom with Julian and Julio, Paco and Joven, scoured through old book upon old book and finding nothing relevant. He wasn't sure what to feel about it - it was as if they were grasping for straws.

"Wala ata talaga dito yung hanap ni Dolores," Paco said thoughtfully.

"Yun nga yung sinabi niya sa amin nung nakita namin siya dito," Julio said, clucking his tongue.

Goyong sighed. "Eh sabi kasi ni Kuya Andoy subukan pa nating maghalughog eh," he said tiredly. "Uwi na ba tayo?"

"Hindi kayo maaaring umuwi." Dolores was standing at the end of the hallway right outside the room, a hand on her hip. "May mga bagay akong ipinangako kay Manuel nang bisitahin ko siya sa kanyang panaginip."

"Na ano? Papatayin mo kami? Subukan mo," Julian said, lunging at her. He phased right through her and landed on the floor with a loud thump.

Goyong shifted his hand, readying the knife concealed under his jacket sleeve. "Wala din kaming nahanap dito. Umalis ka na."

Dolores' eyes flicked toward Joven, who was standing a few meters away from the others. "Aalis na ako. May pabaon lamang ako sa inyo. Sana'y maging paalala ito na wag na kayong susuway sa akin sa susunod." Her hand shifted and she sent a ball of hazy light flying toward Joven before vanishing.

Time seemed to slow down for Goyong. He leapt in front of Joven, taking the blow for him. Everything erupted into agonizing pain, as if the ball of light tried to burn all life out of him. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, only feel the pain and everything that it brought. He knew not how long it lasted, but something shifted in him after a while - something that his subconscious recognized as his healing factor - and he faded away into unconsciousness.


	17. The Only Hope For Me Is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong goes on a nocturnal trip. Goyong goes a little domestic.

**Wednesday, 04-20-16, 6:30 PM, Baler, Aurora**

They made it to the rest house without more incidents, which was a good thing. It was a  _long_ and tiring day, and Nonong was sure that he'd had enough action for the summer. He didn't want to get into more trouble, especially after that punching incident with Thirdy. Speaking of Thirdy, he still seethed whenever he remembered that boy. Nonong's fists clenched as he remembered how the latter called Aurora a  _bitch._ No matter how angry he got, he could never do that to her.  _Never._

Aurora turned to him with a quizzical look as she fumbled for the front gate keys. "Ang lalim parin ata ng iniisip mo diyan," she pointed out.

He looked up to face her, fighting the sudden wave of anger that choked him. "Hindi naman sa malalim pero..."

"Si Thirdy ba yan?" she asked. "Ba't mo nga ba binigwasan yun?"

"Tinawag kang  _bitch_ eh." He shrugged. He stared at her, his thoughts turning toward the anger he had at that moment. "Hindi ko ata nakayanan."

Her lips twitched, but never fully smiled. "Nagalit ka sakanya dahil tinawag niya akong bitch?" she asked, wonder coloring her voice. "Nagalit ka para sakin?"

"Bawal ba?" he shot back glumly.

"Wala akong sinasabi." She opened the gate and stepped aside to let him into the pathway surrounded by an well kept garden that was probably taken care of regularly. "In fairness, may pagka gentleman ka rin pala, ano?"

He smiled good naturedly. No one had ever called him a gentleman before, despite his popularity with his female classmates. "Sana lang hindi ka galit sa ginawa ko."

"Let's be real - kailangan niya talagang mabigwasan. Yun nga lang bakit  _in public,_ aber? At dito pa sa Baler? Sana hinintay mo na hanggang makita natin ulit siya sa Angeles." The amusement in her voice couldn't be missed, though. She turned and faced him, arms crossed. "Pero salamat, ha?"

"Basta ba ikaw," he mumbled.

She snorted and turned away, fumbling with the front doors. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear in an absolutely mundane yet fascinating manner. They stepped into the squeaky clean foyer, switching on the lights as they went along the steadily darkening house. They made it to the expansive living room in no time. Nonong took his sweet time in setting down the takeout food and snacks they brought with them while Aurora worked on the air conditioning units. His eyes roamed the place, noting that it wasn't even half as big as his home in Angeles and lacked the warm, comfortable feeling that the latter exuded. Still, he wasn't the type to complain.

His legs started to feel like lead after half a day's worth of walking, and he found himself flopping onto one of the long couches in front of the huge television set. He thought he vaguely heard Aurora say something but his eyes closed from sheer exhaustion. He wasn't sure how long he zoned out but the next thing he knew, she was gently shaking him awake.

"Huy, mamaya ka na magpahinga," she said a little quietly. "Kain na muna tayo."

He wearily sat up, eyes moving to the windows to note that it was much darker outside. Their takeout dinner was laid on the table along with ice cold canned soda that Aurora probably grabbed from the rest house's stocked refrigerator, and the television was already prepared for the evening news.

Speaking of Aurora, she was sitting right beside him, a can of Sprite in hand. Her eyes were trained on him with a notably worried glint. "Dinner na muna tayo tapos magpahinga ng konti. Mukhang mahaba ang gabi natin mamaya." She said it with just the  _slightest_ hint of an innuendo, which he found amazing.

"Mahaba ang gabi indeed," he replied, mirroring her tone with a bemused smile.

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 2:00 AM, Baler, Aurora**

The streets of Baler felt different at night - still old and beautiful, but with the hint of ghosts lurking in every corner. People lived and died there for decades, no,  _centuries,_ and not all of them may have been laid to rest properly. Nonong kept insisting that the back of his thoughts was just hell bent in scaring him but then again, if witches existed, could ghosts not lurk around like in tales too?

Despite the fact that such places were definitely  _dangerous,_ Nonong felt much calmer when they passed by the district that was full to bursting with bars. The sound of music and general revelry behind the buildings' walls helped him keep his head clear than the more quiet streets that they have just left behind. There were still some hazards, yes, but he prefered facing more mundane people than the supernatural. It was something that one learned over the course of the team's misadventures during the past few months.

"Quizon!" A horribly familiar voice made him almost jump out of his skin. He stopped walking and whipped around to see someone that he didn't want to bump into, either in Baler, Angeles, or anywhere in between.

Liese, one of the med tech students that once shared a class with them, was standing right outside one of the bar, a bottle of liquor in hand. She stared at him with half lidded eyes that would have looked sultry on anyone else but just came out as forced and tacky on her. "Akalain mo nga namang nandito ka." She sneered at Aurora with the air of someone who thought herself superior.  _"Yan_ ang ka-fling mo ngayon?"

"Hindi ko siya ka-fling." Nonong turned away without batting an eyelash at her. Memories of Liese's attempts to stalk and harass him during his freshman year came up fresh. There was even that _nightmarish_ moment where she wouldn't stop propositioning him for sex that he almost dropped out of a college org. Luckily she was the one who was forced to drop out by her parents due to her  _terrible_ grades. "Kaibigan ko siya and for your information, mas worth naman siyang maging girlfriend kaysa sayo."

He didn't miss Aurora's smirk at the sight of Liese's outraged look and noted that it was totally  _worth it_.

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 3:00 AM, Baler, Aurora**

Armed with shovels that they took from the rest house's garden shed, they eventually marched across the blissfully empty  _poblacion_ street to the church patio, where their digging was about to commence. A sense of excitement was palpable in the air as the duo finally reached the tree that Aurora mentioned. Nonong could barely contain the anxiety that ate him up, his guts churning at the thought of the information lying in wait for them.

 _Magkakasilbi na ako sa team, sa wakas_.

They began to dig, looking around every now and then with wary eyes, afraid of getting caught. After all, they could easily be arrested for trespassing and also technically damaging property. Nonong felt like the past month had truly inducted him to the team as he was doing so many  _illegal_ activities in the span of just a couple of weeks. He really was being useful, finally.

His shovel struck something hard, and a few more minutes' worth of digging eventually unearthed an old, wooden box. He exchanged glances with Aurora, who nodded to him before gazing at the box with unusually misty eyes. "Sa wakas," she said in a softly choked voice. "It's been more than sixty years, ano?"

"Sixty years, indeed," he murmured, lips quirking up in amusement.

They began the long walk home after spending a few more minutes cleaning the box as much as they could in the semi darkness. Their trip was well worth it, he supposed, as Aurora was sure that they got the right one. They both agreed to get some more sleep before checking it out, and so their return trip was filled with a triumphant aura.

That was, until they passed by the bars again.

A group of people were huddled around the sidewalk, murmuring anxiously. A group of older men were restraining a young man who looked like he was too intoxicated by alcohol - or something worse. Nonong's skin felt like it was crawling at the sight - it didn't bode well, after all. He could feel a subtle shift as Aurora stood a little closer to him, sensing the same unease that made his gut turn cold.

"Makiki usisa pa ba tayo?" he asked, a hand unconsciously closing around hers.

"Oo naman." She didn't squirm or complain, which was probably a good thing.

They joined the crowd that was still forming around the sidewalk, where the corpse of a young woman was lying spread eagled, her glassy eyes staring sightlessly at the moonless sky. Several bullet wounds riddled her body. Nonong felt the crawling in his skin grow worse when he realized that it was Liese. No matter how foul she was, it was a terrible way to go.

"Ano pong nangyari dito?" Aurora asked, a quiver in her voice.

"Nag-away sila ng boyfriend niya," a middle aged man said, not even sparing them a second glance. "Hindi ko rin maintindihan ang nangyari,  _hija,_ pero nagkapikunan sila. Ayun, binaril."

Nonong felt that it was a bad omen. No matter how terrible he found Liese, she wouldn't deserve being murdered. Then again, a quiet voice in his head reminded him that she once flirted and begged him to run away with her, in another life and another time. She raised hell for him when he firmly said no, not even having the smallest bit of interest with her.

He turned to Aurora. "Uwi na ba tayo?" he asked, putting on the calm air of an emergency room nurse.

"Mabuti pa nga." Aurora sidled closer to him, clearly shaken.

It was going to be a long night, indeed.

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 9:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Goyong was glad that everything had finally simmered down and he was now just bedridden with fever. The previous day was a nightmare, with his body temperature going up and down and his nose bleeding every now and then. It was supposed to be his body's way of reacting to Dolores' supposedly fatal spell, his thankfully intact healing factor stepping in to combat it. Jay had thrown a fit when they brought him home ill, and had insisted that they dump him in her room so she could tend to him. They did and now there she was, her own curse leaving her ill due to stress and exhaustion.

At least they were plopped down side by side on her bed so they could commiserate in peace - or so, that was the plan. Vince had barged in early in the morning with a plate heaped with toasted bread, followed by  _Addie Reyes_ who was carrying glasses of kalamansi juice.

"Nachika kasi nitong si Vince na may sakit kayo pareho," she was saying, still sounding all businesslike. "Healthy para sainyo ang kalamansi juice - lalo na diyan sa lagnat mo. Family recipe pa ito oh, mula pa nung 1890's."

 _Uy, blast from the past._ Goyong thanked her in between mouthfuls of bread, swilling the half full glass with his free hand. "Pero umagang umaga at ito yung isasabay ko sa almusal?"

"May healing factor ka naman, 'tay," Vince said good naturedly as he fished a pack of M&M's from Jay's chocolate stash by her desk and _obliterated_ it. "Kaya na ng sikmura mo yan."

Jay tentatively sipped her juice and smiled at Addie with equal uncertainty. "Salamat, ha?" She sidled a little closer to Goyong, her icy skin stark against his feverish warmth.

Goyong sipped his juice - and promptly coughed. "Teka, puro asukal to ah!" It literally tasted like liquefied sugar with just the smallest hint of citrus. "Sigurado ka bang kalamansi juice to?"

"Oo," Addie said, sounding quite hurt. "Ganun din gumawa ng juice si Daddy at si Lola."

Goyong handed it to Vince, who promptly chugged it down without so much as a complaint. "Nasa lahi niyo ba yung diabetes?"

Jay lightly whacked his arm. "Gago, be  _polite._ "

Addie didn't sound the slightest bit hurt, at least. "Wala naman." She glanced at Vince, who set down the empty glass beside him with nary a word. "At least may mga naka-appreciate sa juice ko, hindi ba, Jay?"

Jay nodded smugly. "Medyo napatamis pero oks lang."

Goyong couldn't help but wonder if the women around him were starting to form a conspiracy and start bullying him. _Sinong makikisabayan sakanila sa susunod? Si Tina? Margarita? Nena?_


	18. Immortals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rusca is plotting. Nonong spends one more day in Baler.

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 3:00 AM, Clark Bicentennial Park**

_The night was dark and full of terrors -_ or at least, that was what that damned series said.

Rusca clutched his hoodie next to him as he hopped out of his newly repaired car, followed by Nena and the twins. An old white car parked across the street from his, and out of it emerged Selong, Tina, and Margarita. A soft wind blew at their faces as they convened by the entrance to the park, shivering from the cool night air.

"Ang mga punyal, Tina," Selong said mild manneredly, holding out his hand.

Tina handed him a package wrapped in white cloth. "Sana tama parin po yung ginawa ko, Tito."

"Sigurado akong tama yan, _hija._ " Selong smiled good naturedly, unwrapping the package to reveal a pair of daggers like those that were currently wielded by Rusca, Goyong, Jay and Jose. The green and violet crystals set on their bases gleamed even under the scant light of a waxing moon.

Rusca wrapped his jacket tighter around him as Selong positioned them around the central area. It was part of the process that he was going to do to ensure that the daggers would also work against the dopplegangers. The clouds cleared, revealing the moon and the stars above them as Selong set to work, pouring vials of water on the daggers as he spoke in a tongue that was older than their nation. Rusca felt his skin prickle, feeling the power of the words. It was magic of a different source than that of Dolores', drawing strength from and lending strength to Selong's six companions as that was how the magic worked.

Dolores never showed up, which was odd as Selong seemed to anticipate her.

"Baka sa pagbasbas ng ikapitong punyal na siya magpapakita," Selong said as he finished with the ritual.

Rusca supposed that even Selong's visions were not foolproof. He didn't mind though. The best thing about living was life's element of surprise. He exchanged glances with Nena, who smiled at him warmly and made his stomach flip. Oh, she would never have anticipated the surprise that would be waiting for her on Friday.

* * *

 

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 9:00 AM, Baler, Aurora**

Nonong's head pounded in exhaustion. He was supposed to be catching up on sleep but he kept waking up every now and then, his mind jumping in between thoughts of Liese's death and the tantalizing contents of the box they unearthed. Despite the fact that they had the entire day to figure everything out, his excitement was trying to overrun his thoughts. He dozed in and out for a few more hours after sunrise until his stomach demanded his attention and begged for breakfast. He got out of the spacious bedroom that Aurora assigned him to and passed by the master's bedroom beside it, which she was occupying. Alarm suddenly gutted him when he saw that it was empty, the door thrown wide open.

Fighting back his terror, he kept quiet and padded down the floor. Fists clenched in tension, he made his way to the living room first - and relaxed when he saw Aurora sitting on the couch, a plate of toasted bread on her lap and the television remote control on her other hand. She turned as he approached and raised an eyebrow. "Ba't para kang nakakita ng multo?" she asked.

He stood there, unable to answer, letting the relief spread through his body and wash away the fear first. He couldn't trust himself to speak until then and simply took in the sight of her. He was being paranoid because of Liese's murder and Dolores' threats, that was all.  _Oo na, napamahal na ako. Shut up ka na lang, brain._

"Huy, bakit tulala ka diyan?" She snapped her fingers at him, looking almost as alarmed as he felt a few minutes ago. Almost. Concern filled her face as she stood up and bounded right for him. "Dahil ba yan sa nangyari dun sa kaklase mo?"

It took him a while before he finally deigned to speak. "Ayos lang ako," he said, his voice thankfully steady. He would have died of shame if it just decided to betray him then and there. "Medyo  _distracted_ lang ng unti kanina."

Aurora didn't seem to believe him, but there wasn't really much that she can do anyway. She took him by his hand and tugged him gently toward one of the couches, the concern never leaving her pretty face. He registered the warmth of her skin and the subtle shift in her presence despite the fact that he was doing his  _damn best_ not to. He'd rather not embarrass himself in front of her.

She set down his own breakfast and a cup of coffee on the center table. Silence thankfully reigned as he slowly did away with his breakfast, careful not to upset his starving stomach.  _I could get used to this. Heh._

Neither of them spoke even after they've cleaned the plates and groomed themselves, the quiet hum of the air conditioning system serving as their lone background music. He wasn't used to silence at home, being more comfortable with the hustle and bustle that the team's racket brought, back in Angeles.

He eventually rejoined her in the living room, where she had set down the box from the church. She was eyeing it apprehensively, as if unable to open it without him. "Ready ka na ba?" she asked as he sat down beside her.

He forced out a smile though he also felt quite anxious over the entire matter. "Oo naman. Ikaw ha, parang sasabak tayo sa giyera kung makapagsalita ka."

"Giyera laban kay Dolores,  _I suppose._ " She smiled wryly and unlatched the box with trembling hands.

The box was empty, save for a piece of old, crumbling paper.

Nonong's throat felt dry as he beheld the small, probably  _useless_ item that they came all the way to Baler for. "Ito na yun?" he asked, trying not to sound disappointed.

He picked up the paper, held it out so Aurora could also see the writing on it. Something cold seemed to pierce his gut as he began to read.  _Joven Hernando, Angeles, 1950_.

"Shit." Aurora glanced at him, eyes gleaming. "Sulat ni Junior to."

"Wala namang sinasabi sa atin si Kuya Joven," Nonong said in confusion. His cousin would have spoken up if it meant that they didn't have to go all the way to Baler, he knew it. "Baka hindi niya naaalala?"

"O baka sa maling Joven Hernando pinadala ito," Aurora said. "Diba Joven din yung naging anak niya noon?"

The cold stewing in his gut intensified. Whatever Aurora left in her past life could be anywhere in the house basement - or worse, thrown away by some relative or another. He tried to stay positive, though. "Well, at least  _educational_ naman ang pagpunta natin dito, kahit papaano," he said in his most cheerful voice. "Worth it naman ito, diba?"

Aurora's eyes  _bored_ into him, as if assessing his words. "Worth it nga naman ata," she said, the tension easing away from her. "Pero... back to square one tayo, ano?"

That was something Nonong hadn't thought of - but then again, they had the entire team at their side. They can do it as long as they were all working together, he was sure.

**Thursday, 04-21-16, 3:00 PM, Baler, Aurora**

They spent the rest of the day sight seeing and buying souvenirs for their friends. Nonong was glad that he actually jotted down the requests from everyone in the team before he left, or he would've gone nuts. It was the most perfect summer day of the year, he was walking with a girl that he admittedly had gone crazy for, and all he needed would be his friends for it to be the best day of his vacation. Of course, he couldn't get everything he wanted, but at least he was content.

That had to count for something for the meantime.

The waves crashed against their feet as they visited the beach, and he spent his time at its edge while Aurora tried her hand on surfing. He had quite the fear of deep waters stemming from a childhood of watching Jay freak out over swimming trips, and he prefered staying on the shore. A few girls his age giggled at the sight of him but he ignored them pointedly. They held no interest for him anymore. It was a good sign for him, really, as the only girl that was worthy of his attention was now headed for him, rental surfboard in hand.

"Ayan ka nanaman sa pagkatulala mo," she said, face flushed from the time she spent under the glare of the summer sun.

He smiled at her words and scratched the back of his head. "Bawal na bang  _mabighani_ sayo, aber?"

She snorted, flicking back her dripping hair. "Ikaw, mabibighani sa akin? Sa akin?"

"Well, oo." He shrugged. "Di bale, hayaan mo na."

A pleased look lit up her pretty features, making his stomach flip. "May gusto ka ba sa akin?" she asked cheekily.

He stared at her, fighting off the urge to snap some rude denial.  _Lulundag na ako sa kawalan. Sige na, Kuya Julio, panalo ka na._ He could feel his cheeks flushing red as he regarded her, struggling not to get lost in her pretty eyes. "Oo.  _Ala nakung agawa keta." Wala na akong magagawa doon._

"Hindi naman masamang magkagusto sa akin," she said in feigned outrage. "Lalo na kung, uh,  _ikaw naman_ yun."

His face turned redder as his mind mulled over what she just insinuated. A wide, goofy smile lit up his face. "May chance ba ako?" he asked.

She leaned forward and placed a finger over his lips. "Gago, wag excited. Let's take it slow. Tapos tignan natin saan tayo dadalhin, aber?"

Well, that sounded good enough for him. Mahaba pa naman ang panahon. "Take it slow? Game ako diyan. I can be very patient. Lalo na't may med school pa naman ako at board exams para sayo after ng mga graduation natin."

"Long term planner? I like that." Her eyes gleamed as she leaned forward and stole a kiss from him.

It felt like all his brains dribbled out of his ears and that was okay.


	19. Smells Like Teen Spirit

**Friday, 04-22-16, 6:00 AM, Baler, Aurora**

A breeze had picked up as Nonong led the way to the bus station, making the sidewalk dust swirl at his feet. He saw the church, the park, and everything in between quite differently now. They weren't just places that he as a tourist wanted to see. They now held memories - not just from Manuel Quezon, but also Nonong Quizon who would consider the past few days as a trip he would never forget. All was well.

He found himself snapping up last minute pictures of the scenery, knowing that the team would be expecting them. Fighting back the silly smile on his face, he also snapped up some pictures of Aurora when she wasn't looking. He couldn't explain the sudden urge to capture the moment, and the way that the Baler sunshine illuminated her. _Ganyan nga ata yung pakiramdam ng mga in love ano?_

It took them longer than expected to reach the bus station, but it was all right. The bus that would take them back to Pampanga, back  _home,_ was still empty. They took seats by the door again and Nonong was glad to realize that the tension that built up between them on the ride to Baler had completely faded. He was totally comfortable with Aurora's presence now.

They agreed to take it slow, which was another good thing. If things happened too  _fast_ between the two of them, he would never be able to stomach the team's triumphant looks. It would probably drive him mad before the month ended.

"Excited ka na bang umuwi?" Aurora piped up as she sipped coffee from a paper cup.

He nodded slowly, unable to avert his eyes from her anymore. "Namiss ko din yung team. Pero worth it din naman yung pagpunta natin dito. Ikaw ba, excited na?"

Her smile never failed to blind him, no matter what lifetime he was in. "Excited indeed. I mean, wala na akong pamilya sa Angeles pero nandoon pa naman kayo nina Nanay Jay at Tatay Goyong diba? At nandoon din naman yung team niyo."

"Always," he assured her.

"Sapat na sa akin yun," she told him cheerfully.

They lapsed into companionable silence as they watched the bus slowly fill up with southbound passengers, filling it up with colorful conversations in various local languages. Then and there, he was sure that the four hour ride home wouldn't be as torturous or agonizing as the long ride to Baler. Things between him and Aurora have wildly changed in the span of less than forty eight hours, and he wasn't even surprised to realize that he was very welcome to  _that_ kind of radical change in his life.

_Ang kulang nalang talaga eh yung mawala na talaga sa buhay naming lahat yang si Dolores._

The thought of Dolores sent a chill down his spine as he remembered her threats, but he kept reassuring himself that everyone at home really was as fine as Joven claimed in his phone calls. With the box in Baler pointing back home to Angeles, he was sure that they would find out what was left under the Hernandos' care sooner or later. He refused to acknowledge the tiny voice in his head saying that one of his ancestors may have discarded it - or them. They would find the key to destroying Dolores in no time. Of course, the first step to that was probably for them to get home and explain everything to the team first. He wasn't really the type to talk about it over the phone.

The bus engine revved up as it had finally filled up with passengers. Nonong leaned back - it was time to catch some sleep. There would be time for thinking later.

**Friday, 04-22-16, 10:30 AM, Dau Terminal**

It was still as hot as ever by the time they finally hopped out of the bus for good, but the warmth in Pampanga was something that Nonong welcomed. It meant he was going to be home soon. The crowd milling around them put him on high alert though, making hm cast his eyes around just in case that Dolores or her dopplegangers popped out. He didn't relax, not even when he spotted Rusca among the throng of people standing outside a fast food outlet.

"Naks, mukhang  _nagbinata_ ang itsura mo ah," Rusca pointed out with a catlike grin. "Hiyang mo ata ang Baler?"

 _"Nang buri mung sabyan?" Anong ibig mong sabihin?_ Nonong felt his cheeks turn red.

"Bagay mo yung tan mo, yun lang," Rusca said, stuffing a fistful of chips in his mouth.  _"Nanu waring iisipan mu?" Ano bang iniisip mo?_

Nonong shrugged as he lounged on the backseat, letting Aurora ride shotgun for a change.  _"Mapagal ku mu." Pagod lang ako._

A small, knowing smile quirked up Rusca's lips as he adjusted his beanie and revved up his car engine. He eyed his two companions as he eased his car out of its parking space, scattering a group of people who were lurking in their way. "Sabi mo eh." The tone in his voice more than  _insinuated_ that he was not convinced.

Aurora smiled placidly, turning red as she glanced at Rusca. Did she have some kind of  _crush_ on him? "Mahaba lang yung biyahe, si Kuya naman oh. Medyo nakaka  _haggardo versoza_ lang naman kasi yung apat na oras kang nakaupo sa bus."

Rusca still didn't seem convinced, but at least he let it pass. "Hindi ko pa pala nasasabi sainyo, pero may balak na akong magpropose kay Nena mamayang hapon," he suddenly said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "Kung ayos lang sainyo, hihingi sana ako ng konting tulong." Despite his obvious anxiety, there was still a hint of mischief in his voice. "Matagal na din akong di nakakapunta sa Boom na Boom."

"Boom na Boom?" Nonong had to remind himself that his jaw shouldn't be dropping. He wasn't supposed to make Rusca have second thoughts about his proposal plans - it just wouldn't be fair. "Huli ata akong pumunta dun nung grade four ako. Dun mo balak magpropose?"

Rusca nodded, looking like he was about to throw up. "Masyado bang cheap?"

"Hindi ah!" Aurora spoke up with a smile. "Excited lang yang si  _keso._ Wag kang mag-alala, backup mo kami."

Rusca visibly relaxed as he drove into the thankfully clear highway for the fifteen minute journey home. "Salamat."

Nonong's lips quirked up in a smile as he leaned back and watched the scenery unfolding before them, telling him that he was truly, finally home as they passed through the Balibago area and past the rotonda that veered off to Clark Main Gate.  _Home sweet Angeles._ The city wasn't much compared to tourist spots and Metro Manila itself, but it was home and that was enough for him. His eyes couldn't get enough of the familiar, somewhat crowded sidewalks and the bustling businesses. Angeles felt quite different after his trip to Baler.

 _Nagbinata nga ba ako sa Baler trip namin? Siguro nga_.

Despite the tan that Rusca mentioned, he didn't feel any  _different._ He was still Nonong Quizon, on his way to his fourth year as a Nursing student with a penchant for hacking and full of dreams of becoming a doctor. Oh, and of course, there was the team's supernatural shenanigans on the background. The only thing that really changed was that he now had prospects of probably having a happy ever after with Aurora when all was said and done.

It wasn't a bad thing.

**Friday, 04-22-16, 11:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

_Home sweet home, indeed_. Hefting his backpack, Nonong marched into the house like a triumphant king who had just returned from his conquest, a wide smile on his face. The smell of cooking lunch invaded his senses as he hopped toward the kitchen. Jay was cooking there, humming a song as she flitted around. She turned as he and Rusca approached. "Hoy, hinatid niyo na si Au?" she asked disbelievingly.

Rusca nodded, answering before Nonong could. "Oo, walang gaanong traffic eh."

Jay smiled and shut off the stove, wiping her hands clean with a dishcloth. There was something  _knowing_ on her face that set Nonong on edge. "Good. Tapos na akong magluto. Kain ka na, Kuya Ed. Kakausapin ko lang itong pinsan ko."

Nonong felt himself clam up as he followed his cousin to the living room. "Anong meron, ate?"

Jay's smile widened as she whipped around and turned to him, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ano itong tinext sa akin ni Aurora na may something daw kayo?"

His cheeks flared up at her words. He could  _never_ lie to Jay. She always knew when he did. "Hindi naman sa ganun, pero... take things slow, kumbaga."

She nodded sagely as she looked him up and down and patted his cheek. "Binata na si  _bunso,_ ano?" She leaned forward. "Ingatan mo si Au, ha? Tiwala naman akong hindi mo siya  _sasaktan_ pero... may mga pinagdaanan na din siya. Please, don't disappoint."

"Promise, ate." He didn't need her to tell him, not really, but he appreciated it nonetheless.  _"Hindi ko siya pababayaan. Hindi ko siya sasaktan."_

"Good." Jay patted his cheek. "Tara, kain na tayo."

Nonong watched her walk away, feeling bemused.  _Today is a good day, ano?_


	20. Alapaap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonong ends his story. Rusca proposes.

**Friday, 04-22-16, 3:30 PM, Boom na Boom**

The sights and sounds of the local amusement park sent Nonong's senses exploding with lovely vibrance. He couldn't help but smile as he watched a group of elementary aged children running circles around a popcorn stand, followed by a clucking woman who was watching over them. Childhood was a distant yet fond memory for him, but he didn't mind it. Time flew by when one was having fun and despite the loss of his parents, then his brother, he was trully _happy_.

He smiled as he saw Aurora hovering by a food stand, a stick of blue cotton candy in hand. His knees couldn't help but shake when he saw the sparkle of childish glee in her brown eyes. She nodded to him with a cheeky grin. "Ikaw lang talagang magisa?" she asked cheekily.

"Ako nga lang," he agreed. "Si Kuya Goyong nandun sa may roller coaster kasama nung mga kambal. Yung mga iba papunta na rin."

She beamed at that and let him take her hand as they walked through the park grounds, the sounds of laughter and music and machinery coloring the air. "Nakakaexcite siguro ano? Isipin mo, magpopropose na si Kuya Ed!"

He nodded, wondering how his own proposal would go someday. _Long term planning nga naman ano?_ "Kinakabahan nga kaninang umalis siya eh. Sabi naman namin wag siyang magpapakain sa kaba. Mas madali naman sigurong magpropose kaysa magyayang magtanan diba?"

She chuckled and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "How should I know? Hindi naman _ako_ yung nagyayang magpakasal in secret noon diba?"

He felt his cheeks turn red at that. "Hindi nga naman." He grinned and pointed at the swaying viking ship ride. "Gusto mo bang sumakay dun?"

"Bakit? Gusto mo akong bigyan ng reason para sumigaw at yumakap sayo, aber? I'm not scared of amusement park rides, keso." She paused as she finished her cotton candy and dumped the stick on a nearby trash bin. She turned toward the ride, as if considering. "Pero why not? Di rin naman ako nakasakay sa rides nung U Days eh."

He gripped her hand just the slightest bit tighter when they headed for the ticket booth and then to the ride itself, seating themselves at the very front for maximum experience. It had been a while since he rode on a viking ship - he had been twelve. Jay had dragged him along for the ride despite his protests and found out that he liked it. Shaking his head and returning to the present, he let out a gleeful whoop as the ride started up. It felt like his stomach was freefalling as the swinging began to gain momentum and for a while, he was a child again.

Everything was a burst of color and sounds and the wind and the sun and he was happy and alive.

Time flew by when he was having fun, indeed, and the ride ended before he knew it. Furtively smoothing his windswept hair, he followed Aurora down and to the field again, his knees still shaking and unsteady. He stole a quick glance at her and caught her staring at him with a smile. He smiled back and motioned to the ride. "Alam ko na ata saan ka dadalhin sa first date natin," he said nonchalantly.

"Hindi pa ba counted to?" she asked.

He bit his lip, stopping himself from laughing. "Hindi pa ata. Dapat tayong dalawa lang talaga maghapon, diba?"

"May point ka," she agreed, reaching out to help him fix his hair.

"Hoy, mamaya na kayo maglandian!" Julio's loud voice broke through their conversation as he jogged toward them, straightening his deep blue hoodie. "Kailangan na tayo ni Ed!"

Nonong exchanged glances with Aurora and beamed. "Sa susunod, uubusin natin yung rides dito. _Promise._ "

It wasn't like the old days, despite the fact that they still felt the same for each other. They were still young and had the entire world at their fingertips. There would be more than enough time to enjoy each other's company but for today, someone needed their help. _Don't you worry, Kuya Ed. Hindi magiging epic fail ang proposal mo._

**Bonus**

**Friday, 04-22-16, 6:30 PM, Boom na Boom**

Rusca felt his gut fluttering as they went from ride to ride. He couldn't even hold Nena's hand, afraid that she'd notice that he was trembling all over from anxiety. As the sun began to set, the purple and golden tones of the incoming twilight seeping through the blue and silver horizon. "Hindi ka pa ba nagugutom?" he asked as calmly as he could, leading her slowly toward the carousel.

Nena turned to him with her customary quizzical smile, fiddling with her bag straps. "Bakit ako yung tinatanong mo ng ganyan? Ikaw ata yung gutom forever ah," she pointed out good naturedly. She turned toward the carousel, eyes widening in glee at the size of it. "Matagal na akong di nakakasakay sa ganito! Pwede ba tayo diyan?"

He grinned and whipped out tickets from his pocket. "Prepared ako at oo - pwedeng pwede!"

He started taking pictures as the carousel began to turn slowly, a soft lilting melody providing a background music to his slowly mounting anxiety. He wanted to capture the moment before everything would change - for better or for worse. If there was one thing he knew, it was that this is going to be a night tht neither of them were going to forget anytime soon. A quiet voice at the back of his head told him to take things one at a time but the jumble that the rest of his mind had created simply pushed it aside.

By the time the ride ended, he was really surprised that she hadn't noticed his trembling - not now that it was worse than ever. His gut felt like it was going to make him float away from all the butterflies that it swept up in a hurricane. _He was the wind,_ and the depths of his heart had been caught in the most lovely tempest that it could ever hold.

Beautiful, twinkling lights glittered as darkness began to set in and just as planned, Goyong was standing at the edge of the crowd, waving them over. A mad smile lit up his face as he spotted the two of them and disappeared into the throng of people. Rusca glanced at Nena and finally held out his hand. "May surprise ako," he said in a low purr.

"Hindi pa ba ito yung surprise?" Her eyes told him that she was expecting something as much, though.

He smiled and tugged her forward, through the crowd and out to the picnic field beside the amusement park. The last vestiges of sunlight followed them as they joined the team, who had formed a wide, loose circle around them with colorful glowsticks in hand. He heard Jules holler something in encouragement but his anxious mind made him filter it out. He would probably have to ask her about it later.

Feeling for the ring in his pocket, he knelt down and presented it to Nena. He never did do it properly in their past life, having eloped with her instead. Hopefully he was doing it right this time. _Ano nga ba naman kasing naisipan ko?_

"Sorry, alam kong medyo obvious at ang _epic fail_ kong magplano," he began with a breathless laugh. "Nagpaalam na ako sa mga magulang mo - pero sayo parin yung huling salita, siyempre. Um, gusto ko lang sanang itanong kung, um... Carmena Peralta, _will you marry me_?"

The silence that followed made him want to lie down somewhere and disappear forever. Not even the glimmer of the glowsticks that surrounded them, not even the beautiful sunset in the background, was enough to quell the quietly growing fear in his heart.

Nena smiled and knelt in front of him, pinching his cheek. "Ang cute mo namang kabahan," she noted with a wry smile. "Oo naman yung sagot ko, _ensaymada boy._ "

Rusca's mind blacked out as he leaned forward to kiss her, forgetting everything but her presence and the moment. He didnt' even hear his friends' cheers, or see the fireworks that Julian had rigged. It was just him, and Nena, and the moment. He couldn't really ask for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooh! Natapos din yung Ultraviolet. Abangan ang kay Vince at Etong on Monday: Tentative title, Ascent.


End file.
